UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Football Head Coach James Franklin announced the hiring of Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions on Monday morning.
“Join me in welcoming Jim Knowles back to his home in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the Defensive Coordinator of Penn State Football,” said Franklin. “He's a strong strategist and excellent defensive mind. He reflects the core values our culture of excellence is built upon. We look forward to having Jim and his family join us in Happy Valley.”
“I am excited for this opportunity to join Penn State Football,” said Knowles. “I would like to thank Coach Franklin, Pat Kraft and President Neeli Bendapudi for this opportunity to be the defensive coordinator at Penn State. I have always had a ton of respect for Coach Franklin and the program he has built here. I look forward to working with this tremendous staff and group of student-athletes and am ready to get to work.”
Knowles, a native of Philadelphia and an alum of St. Joseph’s Prep, joins the Nittany Lions after spending three seasons as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator. He played a key role in Ohio State’s 2024 National Championship run, as he led a defense that ranked first nationally in total defense and scoring defense.
Coaching Accomplishments
- Knowles is a 37-year college football coaching veteran.
- A native of Philadelphia, Knowles brings 17 years of experience as a defensive coordinator.
- He brings six years of head coaching experience (all at Cornell) and has made defensive coordinator stops at Ohio State (2022-24), Oklahoma State (2018-21), Duke (2011-17) and Western Michigan (1997-2002).
- Knowles led Ohio State's defense the last three seasons, winning a National Championship with the Buckeyes this past season where his defense ranked first nationally in scoring defense, total defense, yards allowed per play, touchdowns allowed per play and opponents touchdowns scored in the red zone.
- Ohio State's defense also ranked second in sacks, passing touchdowns allowed per game and opponent red zone score percentage, and third in rushing defense, passing defense and sacks per game.
- In his second season in Columbus, Knowles’ 2023 unit was third nationally in total defense, first is pass defense and 18th against the run.
- During his first season with the Buckeyes in 2022, the defense improved in all four major defensive categories from 2021, including total defense (45-spot improvement in the national rankings), scoring defense (14-spot improvement), passing defense (70-spot improvement) and rushing defense (2-spot improvement).
- Prior to Ohio State, Knowles spent four seasons at Oklahoma State, where his defenses improved each year in total defense, scoring defense, passing yards per game, yards per play, yards per pass, rushing yards per game and yards per rush.
- In 2021, Oklahoma State led the Big 12 and ranked in the top five in the FBS in sacks (1st), tackles for loss (2nd), third down defense (2nd), total defense (5th) and rushing defense (5th).
- In 2020, Oklahoma State led the nation and set a school record in third down conversion percentage defense (26.5) while also ranking first nationally in fumble return yards (190), tied for first in defensive touchdowns (4), eighth in fumble recoveries (10), ninth in tackles for loss per game (8.1) and 16th in sacks per game (3.0).
- During the 2018 campaign, Knowles helped the Cowboys to four victories over nationally ranked teams, including No. 6 Texas and No. 7 West Virginia, and ranking in the top 20 nationally in sacks per game and tackles for loss per game.
- Knowles, who worked with David Cutcliffe at Mississippi in 2003 as his linebacker coach, spent eight seasons with him at Duke, where he was the Blue Devils’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2011-17, and coached safeties in 2010.
- Duke went to bowl games in five of his seasons there, including recording its first 10-win season and ACC Championship game appearance in 2013.
- During Knowles' final season in Durham in 2017, the Blue Devils ranked in the top 25 in seven defensive categories, including total defense.
- Knowles was the head coach at his alma mater, Cornell, from 2004-09 and helped the Big Red post three consecutive .500-or-better seasons for the first time in 14 years.
- Prior to Cornell, Knowles spent one season at Mississippi in 2003, where the Rebels went 10-3, won a share of the SEC West Division and defeated Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.
- He had a six-year stint at Western Michigan prior, from 1997-2002, and in 2002 when leading the defense, the Broncos led the MAC and ranked 28th nationally in total defense.
- A year after graduating from Cornell, Knowles became an assistant coach for the Big Red and stayed with the program for nine seasons, through the 1996 season. Cornell won Ivy League championships in 1988 and again in 1990.
The Knowles File
Personal
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education: Cornell, 1987 - B.S. Industrial and Labor Relations
Family: Daughter: Halle; Sons: Luke, Jack
Coaching Career
2025 – Penn State (Defensive Coordinator)
2024 – Ohio State (Defensive Coordinator)
2022-23 – Ohio State (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2018-21 – Oklahoma State (Defensive Coordinator)
2011-17 – Duke (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2010 – Duke (Safeties)
2004-09 – Cornell (Head Coach)
2003 – Mississippi (Linebackers)
2001-02 – Western Michigan (Defensive Coordinator)
1997-00 – Western Michigan (Defensive Line)
1995-96 – Cornell (Linebackers)
1989-94 – Cornell (Running Backs)
1988 – Cornell (Defensive Line)
Playing Experience
- Cornell (1983-86)