After spending three years at Ohio State, Jim Knowles is packing his bags for a transition to Penn State. James Franklin will finally get a veteran coach to oversee the defense—something that has been overdue. The national champion Ohio State Buckeyes have lost an experienced staff member from the carousel, and Ryan Day will have to find a new candidate to fill his shoes.
What’s more interesting is that the Nittany Lions offered Knowles upwards of $3 million to join the program.
Fans Amazed by Jim Knowes’ Salary at Penn State
With this transition, the 59-year-old coach becomes the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football. He is expected to make $3 million per year—an exponential rise from his previous $2.2 million at Ohio State.
According to USA Today, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator also earned $770,000 in extra bonuses for leading the team to a national championship. Ohio State countered with a big offer to keep him, but the veteran coach decided to move on.
Fans were surprised by the move, especially after he won the national championship and received a massive offer.
3 million a year for a DC?! pic.twitter.com/qKCi4GLtPo
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) January 26, 2025
But Ohio State fans were convinced that Coach Day could replace Knowles with a better candidate.
Believe it or not, they may get someone better. This is going to be a very highly coveted position!!!
— Tyrone Shelton (@Tyroneshelton) January 26, 2025
Some fans likened it to a coup, seizing power from the Buckeyes.
We don’t know if we’d go that far, but it surely is a big move from PSU.
Holy cow!! What a coup
— No Off-Season Sports (@no_offseason1) January 26, 2025
The move could ultimately lead to a seismic movement in payment tiers for the best coordinators around the country.
Just raised the bar for coordinator pay. Was bound to happen as head coach’s pay has increased so much.
— Don (@BagmanCFO) January 26, 2025
Either way it was sliced, Penn State fans were clearly thrilled with the hire.
Big add for the Nittany Lions
— Desperado Sports (@DesperadoSport) January 26, 2025
Knowles has been critical in reshaping Ryan Day’s defense since joining the program in 2022. He orchestrated a massive transformation, elevating the Buckeyes’ defensive standards with his orthodox coaching style. The program, ranked 59th in 2021 (372.6 yards allowed per game), improved to 14th in his first year (321.5 yards).
Thereafter, the Buckeyes climbed into the top three while allowing only 265.4 yards per game.
Knowles Recalls His Journey to the Top
A Pennsylvania native, Knowles graduated from Cornell and started his coaching career in 1988 with a meager salary of just $3,000. After spending almost eight years there, he transitioned to Western Michigan in 1997. Following multiple stops at Power Five schools in various roles, Knowles made his way to Ohio State in 2022.
“I’m a guy that worked my way up, and all of a sudden you are dealing with four- and five-star athletes, so you really have no idea how they are going to handle my style of coaching,” Knowles said ahead of the national championship, per Sports Illustrated. “But they really are good people, and they want to be coached,” he added.
KEEP READING: List of FBS College Football National Champions by Year
It’s a new beginning for Knowles at Penn State and a hopeful turning point for James Franklin as he looks to contend for a national championship after this season’s second-round College Football Playoff loss.
