Former Oklahoma State DC to Become Highest-Paid Coordinator in Country
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Oklahoma State’s former defensive mastermind is getting richer with his latest move.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is leaving the Buckeyes to take the same position at Penn State. Knowles is now set to become the highest-paid coordinator in college football, with a three-year deal that averages $3.1 million per season, making him the first coordinator to make a base salary of $3 million.
While it might seem odd that Knowles would leave Ohio State after winning a national championship and having one of the largest salaries of any coordinator in the country, his situation will still be among the best in the nation. Not only will Knowles be the highest-paid coordinator in the country, but he will still be coaching for one of the top programs in the country, as Penn State fell short in the national semifinal to the Notre Dame team that Knowles’ Buckeyes defeated for the national title.
Under James Franklin, Penn State had failed to make the College Football Playoff prior to the expansion to 12 teams in 2024. Despite being considered a top team in the Big Ten alongside Ohio State and Michigan over the past decade, the Nittany Lions have struggled to win at the highest level.
Ohio State had similar issues under Ryan Day, which continued throughout the first years of Knowles’ tenure. Eventually, the Buckeyes were able to put together a special run, headlined by their incredible defense.
Had Knowles stayed at Oklahoma State beyond 2021, perhaps the Cowboys could have had a similar fate. Instead, Mike Gundy’s squad recently hired its third defensive coordinator since Knowles’ departure and has struggled mightily on that side of the ball over the past three seasons.
With the Cowboys, Knowles led the best defense of the Mike Gundy era during the 2021 campaign that tied a school-record 12 wins and narrowly missed the College Football Playoff after a loss in the Big 12 Championship.
Considering the Cowboys’ defensive woes in the past few seasons, the program had been criticized by many for not forking over the money needed to retain one of the best coaches in the country. While Ohio State’s number was too high for OSU to match back in 2021, Penn State’s offer isn’t even something the defending national champions could compete against.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.