Penn State DC Jim Knowles says he'd have stayed at Ohio State if he was offered a contract earlier

Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said he'd still be with the Buckeyes if the school offered him a contract extension earlier.

Knowles became the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football after the 2024 season when he moved to Penn State. The Pennsylvania native told ESPN that he “would not have explored or considered other options” if a contract extension happened before the national title game. However, as Knowles didn’t have an extension following the Buckeyes’ title game win over Notre Dame, he reached out to Penn State just days after the victory.

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From ESPN:

"I did not want to put anyone, including myself, in a position to have to deal with it immediately following the national championship game," he said. "And that's the way it happened."

It created a situation, he said, that eventually turned "awkward."

"Season's over, everything coming to a head again quickly," Knowles said. "Ohio State hasn't come forward with a deal, and it's like, OK, if I'm going to act on this or at least explore it, I have got to make the call."

Penn State had a vacancy at defensive coordinator following the departure of Tom Allen to Clemson. Allen, the former Indiana head coach, took the same position with the Tigers so he and his wife could live closer to their two daughters.

That allowed Knowles, a Pennsylvania native, to have the chance to come back to his home state. He’s set to make over $3 million in 2025 as Penn State looks to topple the Buckeyes for the first time since 2016. That’s the only victory the Nittany Lions have over Ohio State in James Franklin’s tenure. Penn State won the Big Ten title in 2024, but lost 20-13 to Ohio State in November as the Buckeyes won their eighth-straight game over the Nittany Lions.

With Knowles in State College, Ohio State will attempt to defend its national title with two new coordinators. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly also left in the offseason to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator. Assistant Brian Hartline was promoted to replace Kelly while the Buckeyes hired former New England Patriots assistant and Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia to run the defense.