Jim Knowles Conducts Candid ESPN Interview on Leaving Ohio State for Penn State

The Nittany Lions' new defensive coordinator explains why he called James Franklin about the job.

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jim Knowles walks on the field prior to the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

During a February media availability in State College, Jim Knowles explained why he wanted to become Penn State's defensive coordinator.

"I think I can help," Knowles said. "I think I can be of service. ... Everything here is so close to winning it all, and I'm hopeful that I can help get it there."

Recently, however, Knowles sat down for an interview with ESPN's Heather Dinich to discuss not only why he sought to work at Penn State but also why he left Ohio State. It's a revealing interview in which Knowles details what prompted him to call Penn State football coach James Franklin two days after the Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff title.

Knowles describes a contract-negotiation process with Ohio State that turned "awkward" and a request not to attend the team's championship celebration in Columbus.

"Season's over, everything coming to a head again quickly," Knowles told ESPN. "Ohio State hasn't come forward with a deal, and it's like, OK, if I'm going to act on this or at least explore it, I have got to make the call."

Knowles' candid comments shed light on the place Ohio State occupies in college football and Penn State's efforts to get there. The Buckeyes have won eight straight games over the Nittany Lions, including the past three with Knowles as their defensive coordinator. In their last two meetings, Ohio State held the Nittany Lions to a total of one offensive touchdown. And that came with 29 seconds left in the 2023 game in Columbus.

Last season in State College, Knowles' defense stopped Penn State four times from inside the 5-yard line in the fourth quarter. Even after losing to Michigan in late November, the Buckeyes went on to win the CFP title, defeating Notre Dame in the championship game. Notre Dame had defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl to reach that title game.

With that in mind, Penn State offered Knowles more than $3 million annually to become its new defensive coordinator after Tom Allen left for Clemson. Franklin summarized the decision to ESPN by framing it as an institutional success, backed by Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi and Athletic Director Pat Kraft.

"Pat and the president," Franklin told ESPN. "Not lip service to say we're trying to win at the highest level."

Knowles spoke openly in the interview about his departure from Ohio State and the pressure imposed there to win. Penn State feels a similar pressure now, having made some significant offseason moves to win its first national championship since the 1986 season.

"I think the last two years, our commitment has matched our expectations," Franklin said in February. "I don't know if I would have said that before."

Dinich also spoke with several Penn State players, including quarterback Drew Allar, who described how Knowles has helped him self-scout, particularly during those games against Ohio State. Penn State's performance in big games will be a theme this season, as Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt said in making the Nittany Lions his No. 1 team in college football following spring practice.

The ESPN story offers a unique window into Penn State's playbook post-Orange Bowl. Read it here.