Jim Knowles' 2021 Departure Continues to Have Significant Impact on Cowboys

Oklahoma State is still reeling from a key departure nearly four years ago.

Although nobody knew it at the time, the 2021 season would be Mike Gundy’s last year with an elite team in Stillwater. While he still won 10 games in 2023, that 2021 team was a legitimate national title contender.

Throughout Gundy’s career, explosive offense was typically the catalyst for success, but that team was built on defense. That defense, of course, was built by defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

In four seasons under Knowles, the Cowboys saw constant improvement on that end, resulting in a 2021 season where OSU ranked fifth in total defense, ninth in scoring defense and fifth in rush defense.

After that incredible 2021 season, Knowles left OSU to take the same position at Ohio State. In his third year with the Buckeyes, he coordinated one of the nation’s top defenses, helping his squad to a national championship.

Now in his first season with Penn State, Knowles’ defensive excellence is still on full display. With the success of Ohio State and Penn State over the past few years, there are constant reminders of OSU’s big mistake.

While the Cowboys might have done their best to retain Knowles, it’s clear now that OSU probably should’ve given him a blank check. Since Knowles left, the Cowboys have had no consistency on that end, as evidenced by Sunday’s decision to fire Todd Grantham just four games into his OSU tenure.

With Clint Bowen set to take over as interim defensive coordinator, the Cowboys will kick off their matchup at Arizona with their fourth defensive coordinator in the past four seasons. Derek Mason and Bryan Nardo also had short, unremarkable stints in Stillwater.

Now, with OSU looking to blaze a new trail in the post-Mike Gundy era, all signs for OSU’s demise point back to Knowles taking a new job four years ago. Considering his success as a coordinator, he could even be on the short list for OSU’s head coaching position.

However, any hopes of his return to Stillwater are probably fruitless, given the immense success he’s had as a championship-level coordinator.