New Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles earns high praise

What are the expectations for year one in the Jim Knowles defense?

The Penn State Nittany Lions' new defensive coordinator is one of the best in the business and is already receiving preseason hype.

Andy Staples of On3 recently ranked Knowles as his number two DC in college football.

Knowles, 60, got his start in college football as a member of the Cornell Big Red defensive line in the 1980s. After serving as an assistant there through the mid-90s, he bounced around between Western Michigan and Ole Miss before returning to Cornell as head coach from 2004-09.

Knowles then took the Duke defensive coordinator gig and ran with it from 2010-17, before DC stints at Oklahoma State and, most recently, Ohio State.

Penn State added this on his accomplishments:

“Over the last four seasons (Ohio State and Oklahoma State), defenses coordinated by Knowles rank first nationally in total defense (284.8), second in scoring defense (15.7) and third down efficiency (30.5%).”

While Knowles was certainly blessed with immense talent in Columbus, he should not expect a significant drop-off compared to his National Championship-winning unit from a year ago.

The Nittany Lions always boast a dominant unit, but 2025 could be particularly special. Even without Abdul Carter, Kevin Winston, Jaylen Reed, and Kobe King off to the NFL, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, DT Zane Durant, CB A.J. Harris, and S Zakee Wheatley form the foundation of a formidable group.

Perhaps most importantly is Knowles’ familiarity with the Ohio State offense. Head coach James Franklin is just 1-10 against the Buckeyes. Penn State did reach the College Football Playoff Semifinals a year ago, and defeating Ohio State is not an absolute necessity to win it all.

However, knocking off the Buckeyes would go a long way in helping break that 39-year title drought. Knowles will have to play a big role in that upset.