Ryan Day Discusses Relationship With Ex-Ohio State DC Jim Knowles Ahead of Penn State Game

There hasn't been much communication between Day and Knowles since he left for Ohio State's Big Ten rival.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was asked about his relationship with ex-defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

No. 1 Ohio State takes on unranked, interim coach-led Penn State this weekend in a matchup that is far from the expectations that most had for the contest before the season.

The Nittany Lions' season has spiraled out of control after losing to Oregon in double overtime in late September. From there, Penn State lost to both UCLA and Northwestern, which led the school to fire James Franklin.

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One coach that remains at Penn State is defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who was on the Ohio State sideline for the game a year ago. Knowles left Ohio State after the program won the national championship last season following a fairly awkward contract situation, taking a job with the Nittany Lions that made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football.

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day was asked about the relationship he has with Knowles and whether or not he's talked with him much since he left for Happy Valley.

"Like any relationship, when it breaks off, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, but there really hasn't been communication," Day said on Tuesday. "He did a great job when he was here, helped us win a national championship, kind of left it at that. Then it was, 'Hey we gotta go make a replacement and move on from there.' Yeah, that's kind of how it is. It was abrupt, but we certainly respect the work he did when he was here."

Doesn't sound like there's too much of a relationship there after Knowles's departure.

Ohio State and Penn State are set for a Noon ET kickoff on Saturday in Columbus.

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