It’s not rare for a coordinator who just helped lead his program to a national championship to leave for a head coaching gig, but it’s a shock when one darts to make a lateral move. That’s what Jim Knowles did after Ohio State won it all last month, leaving for a big-time payday at Penn State, and now we know why.
Brandon Marcello and Richard Johnson of CBS Sports reported that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day took a more hands-on approach to Knowles’s defense after ceding offensive play-calling duties to Chip Kelly last season. According to Marcello and Johnson, Knowles wasn’t just seeking a payday, the man who orchestrated the No. 1 defense in the country last year, his third season in Columbus, wanted more autonomy.
Day’s appearances in the defensive meeting rooms reportedly increased after the Buckeyes' 32-31 Week 7 loss to Oregon and that, “didn’t mix well with Knowles’ lone ranger attitude,” according to Marcello and Johnson.
One can then surmise that to make the move, Knowles will have full control of the defense in Happy Valley next season and beyond. That could lead to big changes along the defensive line for Penn State, which has relied on four-down fronts with its last few defensive coordinators, Brent Pry, Manny Diaz, and Tom Allen.
Knowles prefers a three-down front with a “jack” linebacker, the style of defense he ran at Duke and Oklahoma State before taking the gig in Columbus and transitioning to a four-down front, though if he produces results like he has for the Buckeyes, James Franklin shouldn’t mind.
Day is probably the biggest beneficiary of his overzealous approach to the defensive side of the ball with a national championship ring currently being fitting for his finger, but Franklin might be second on that list. While Day has had well-documented issues beating Michigan, Franklin faces a similar challenge with Ohio State, beating the Buckeyes just once since taking over in 2014. The pressure was already on Penn State to deliver against high-quality opponents in 2025 with key returners like Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen, but that ramped up another notch once Franklin convinced Knowles to flip allegiances.
So far, Franklin and Knowles have gotten off on the right foot, but hey, a $10 million contract will typically do that.
Knowles on James Franklin and Pat Kraft during the hiring process: "Incredibly supportive, incredibly welcoming. I’ve really felt that in just my short time here. Very welcoming. Not a cliche, but you feel the family, you feel the ‘We Are Penn State.’ It mean something to…
— Daniel Gallen (@danieljtgallen) February 4, 2025
Penn State has spent much of Franklin’s tenure knocking on the door, and if Knowles helps him break through in 2025 with a national championship or even just another Big Ten title, then he’ll have Ryan Day’s desperation to do the exact same thing, to thank.