Knowles had been Ohio State’s defensive coordinator since 2022. He improved the Buckeyes from the No. 59-ranked total defense to the No. 14 defense that season, and the results have only been better since then. In the program’s national championship campaign, the Buckeyes finished with the best total defense in college football.

The 59-year-old previously spent four seasons as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator and led the Cowboys to program-record statistics during his stint. They finished in the top five in sacks, tackles for loss, third-down defense, total defense, and rushing defense, which also led the Big 12, during the 2021 season.

Knowles’ coaching career also includes stops at Duke, Ole Miss, Western Michigan, and Cornell, his alma mater.

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native inherits what was the No. 7 total defense under Tom Allen before he bolted for the same position at Clemson. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Zane Durant, Tony Rojas, and Zakee Wheatley headline a returning unit that once again has the potential to be the best defense in the country next season.