Ohio State football defensive coordinator sidesteps rumors of departure
Yesterday at 12:14 PM
If Jim Knowles has any plans to leave his current job, he is giving no early indications. Amid ongoing rumors, the Ohio State defensive coordinator shrugged off a question about his future, saying he is only focused on the Buckeyes’ upcoming matchup with Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Knowles has been rumored to be one of Brent Venables’ top candidates for Oklahoma’s vacant defensive coordinator position. The 59-year-old has claimed that he has not considered any potential job offers and is purely focused on prepping his defense for the Irish.
“Beating Notre Dame, that’s all I’m focused on,” Knowles told reporters, via 247Sports. “These things happen, I guess. When you have success, players are making plays. My job is to put them in the best position. These things come up when you do well.”
The position at Oklahoma opened up when previous defensive coordinator Zac Alley left to join Rich Rodriguez’s staff at West Virginia. Alley previously worked with Rodriguez at Jacksonville State in 2022 and 2023.
If Venables intends to lure Knowles away from Ohio State, he will have to dig deep into his budget. The Buckeyes notably splurged on the defensive coordinator to entice him from his previous occupation with Oklahoma State. His $2 million annual salary makes him one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in college football.
Ohio State DC Jim Knowles preparing for Notre Dame in CFP National Championship Game
Knowles’s statement was merely a formality, as Ohio State and Oklahoma football fans will have to wait for his off-season decision. The defensive coordinator has locked in on Notre Dame’s offense ahead of him.
The Fighting Irish have scored over 20 points in each of their three CFP matchups en route to the National Championship Game. However, Notre Dame’s defense continues to be the engine of its title aspirations.
Of its three CFP games, Notre Dame has only allowed an opponent to breach 20 points once. It has limited opponents to under 300 total yards in two of its three games while forcing at least one turnover in each game. As a result, Marcus Freeman’s offense has not had to do much in the playoffs.
On paper, Riley Leonard and Jeremiyah Love, the team’s two biggest stars, have thrived. However, most of Love’s yardage came on a 98-yard run against Indiana in the opening round. The offense has been gifted with advantageous field position by the defense on several occasions, leading to a number of easy scores. Without having to reveal much to date, there is no telling what Knowles will have to prepare for.
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