Ohio State football defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reportedly headed for Penn State

Posted by author January 26, 2025 Football

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Ohio State appears to be on the verge of losing its defensive coordinator to a Big Ten rival.

According to multiple reports, Jim Knowles is finalizing a three-year contract to become the coordinator at Penn State with an average annual salary of $3.1 million. Knowles is a Philadelphia native.

Ohio State had offered Knowles a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football. Michigan’s Wink Martindale will make $2.75 million in 2025.

Knowles was not present during Ohio State’s celebration of its national championship at Ohio Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Asked afterward by The Dispatch if he expects Knowles back, OSU coach Ryan Day said, “Yeah, I would expect him back.”

Asked if Ohio State would do everything possible to retain Knowles, Day said, “Of course.”

Athletic director Ross Bjork deflected a question about Knowles, saying, “Today is about celebrating these guys. We want the attention to be on the players and the national championship.”

Knowles has transformed Ohio State’s defense in his three seasons. He took over a unit that struggled badly in 2021. Last year, the Buckeyes led the country in most important statistical categories, including scoring defense and yardage allowed.

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Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly also wasn’t in attendance Sunday. Day said he was on the road recruiting.

If Knowles leaves, there is no obvious successor on the staff, though safeties coach Matt Guerrieri would be one option. Guerrieri is a protege of Knowles who was hired last February after serving as a co-coordinator at Indiana.

During Saturday’s celebration, Day called Guerrieri, a Cleveland-area native, “one of the brightest minds in college football and a star in the making.”

Penn State had an opening because defensive coordinator Tom Allen, the former Indiana coach, left to take the same position at Clemson on Jan. 14.

According to Knowles’ OSU contract, he will owe the university a buyout payment of 30% of his base salary, which would be $1.32 million, if he leaves.

Dispatch reporter Joey Kaufman contributed to this story.