Jim Knowles, the defensive coordinator at Ohio State, is allegedly being considered by Penn State and Notre Dame.
Although Knowles has been connected to Oklahoma for the past several weeks, a source claims that the Sooners are now up against fierce competition for Knowles’ services. Penn State is willing to pay Knowles $3.2 million a year, according to FootballScoop.
According to FootballScoop, since Al Golden left for the NFL, Notre Dame has also expressed interest in the seasoned defensive coordinator. OU is “prepared to offer” $3 million annually to hire Knowles as its next defensive coordinator, according to the report.
In a recent article, FootballScoop described this as a “complicated” scenario and said it was unclear when a final judgment would be made.
Knowles has been the defensive coordinator at Ohio State for the past three seasons in Columbus. He helped guide the Buckeyes to the National Championship earlier this week and was the architect of one of the top defenses in the country in 2024.
As one of the top defensive coordinators in the game, Knowles has long been compensated. Knowles earned $2.2 million in 2024, based on the assistant coaching salaries database maintained by USA Today. Among all coordinators, it placed third nationally, only surpassed by Michigan’s Wink Martindale and LSU’s Blake Baker.
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