Penn State Poaches Rival Ohio State DC With Record $21M Deal
Jim Knowles will be college football’s highest-paid coordinator following a three-year deal worth $3.1 million per year.
Less than three weeks after falling to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, Penn State is pushing its chips in to chase a national championship next season.
The Nittany Lions have hired Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator on a three-year, $3.1 million per year deal which will make him the NCAA’s highest-paid coordinator, according to NBC Sports college football insider Nicole Auerbach. The average annual value would be in the top 60 of NCAA head coach salaries last season, based on USA Today’s database.
Knowles, a Philadelphia native, was the Ohio State defensive coordinator from 2022 to 2025. He reportedly chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Oklahoma and a chance to return to the 2025 national champion Buckeyes, which had one of the best defenses in the country last season.
Penn State, which entered the first expanded playoff format as the No. 6 seed, had one of the best defenses in the nation last season under Tom Allen—who left to be the DC at Clemson—ranking top 10 in the nation in opponent points.
Knowles will not have the services of standout defensive end Abdul Carter, who is projected to be the first defensive player off the board in the 2025 NFL draft, but the defense is still expected to be one of the best in the nation, led by another defensive end, incoming senior Dani Dennis-Sutton.
The offense is also filled with key players returning for their senior year, including quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Penn State was able to retain offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who was reportedly under consideration to be the head coach at West Virginia.
Penn State has the fifth-best odds (+850) to become next season’s national champions behind Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, and Georgia, according to FanDuel
Penn State has secured Jim Knowles as its new defensive coordinator, signing him to a lucrative three-year contract worth $3.1 million annually, making him the highest-paid coordinator in college football history. This move follows Penn State’s recent playoff appearance and reflects their ambition to contend for a national championship next season.
Knowles, who previously served as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State from 2022 to 2024, reportedly turned down offers from Oklahoma and a chance to stay with the Buckeyes, who had one of the nation’s top defenses last season. Under his leadership, Ohio State’s defense ranked first in total and scoring defense, allowing just 12.9 points per game.
While Knowles will miss standout defensive end Abdul Carter, who is projected as a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he will lead a strong defense at Penn State, supported by senior Dani Dennis-Sutton. The Nittany Lions also retain key offensive players like quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, along with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
With this hiring, Penn State is positioned as a contender for the national title, currently holding the fifth-best odds according to FanDuel.
