Penn State's James Franklin Details the 'Twisting' Process of Hiring Jim Knowles

Franklin and Knowles previously had discussed a job at Penn State. An early morning call two days after Ohio State's national championship began the process.

Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles speaks to the media at a press conference in State College. / Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

Penn State’s ability to pry Jim Knowles, perhaps the country’s most highly regarded defensive coordinator, from defending national champion Ohio State signaled the all-in mindset coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions have for 2025. The three-year deal, reportedly worth $3.1 million annually, makes Knowles the highest-paid coordinator in college football.

After leading the nation’s No. 1 total defense with Ohio State in 2024, Knowles already has made an impact on the Penn State football program. In his first media availability since the Orange Bowl, Franklin spoke Tuesday about the quick hiring process, how an early morning call signaled the possibility and what the “phenomenal” commitment from Penn State’s athletic department meant in landing Knowles. 

RELATED: Penn State is "so close" to winning a title, Jim Knowles says

A brief, yet fragile, hiring process 

Ohio State beat Notre Dame for the first 12-team College Football Playoff title Jan. 20. Seven days later, Knowles was a Nittany Lion. The defensive coordinator’s jump between Big Ten squads “happened pretty quickly,” Franklin said, as he and Knowles were already familiar with each other. In his statement after being hired, Knowles said he’s always had “a ton of respect” for Franklin and his program.

“What I think helped with this is, we spoke a couple years back when the [defensive coordinator] position was open [before Penn State hired Manny Diaz], so that helped. We already had a pretty good familiarity with each other,” Franklin said. “We were able to start conversations after the national championship game, obviously, and it went quickly.”

More specifically, Franklin said he received a call at 5:40 a.m. two days after the title game that made him think Knowles to Penn State “may be real.” Before then, Franklin said there hadn’t been any communication with Knowles as he built his list of candidates to replace Tom Allen, who left for Clemson.  

“[We] had been talking to a ton of other guys, vetting and going through the process,” Franklin said. “It's kind of a twisting and a winding deal. There's guys that you think you may be able to get and you can't. We looked at NFL guys, we looked at college guys, kind of kept narrowing the list down. Hadn't made any offers, and then this became a possibility. And then getting to figure out what both sides’ interest level [was] took a little bit of time, and then are you actually going to be able to get it done?”

On Jan. 26, the day the Buckeyes brought the championship trophy to Ohio Stadium, reports emerged that Knowles was headed to Penn State. Knowles did not attend Ohio State’s celebration. Franklin defended his new defensive coordinator regarding the situation, saying Knowles had “all intentions” of celebrating with Ohio State despite rumors of potentially taking another job. However, Franklin said that, at that time, the deal “was not done.”

Ryan Day gives Jim Knowles a shoutout at Ohio State’s championship celebration

Haven’t seen the defensive coordinator here yet today. pic.twitter.com/kDfkRXMOrz

— Stefan Krajisnik (@skrajisnik3) January 26, 2025

“Even the day that the deal was being announced by everybody that it was done, it was not done,” Franklin said. “I was concerned that it being announced may screw up our ability to get the deal done. … We didn't have a signed contract until way after that. [With] the amount of high-profile jobs that were open for defensive coordinator positions, you never truly know until the deal is done.”

‘All you can ask for’

Franklin enters his 12th season at Penn State with potentially one of his best teams following a 13-3 season and a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Franklin said that the financial commitment he has received from athletic director Pat Kraft and President Neeli Bendapudi over the past two years has been “phenomenal” and “matched the expectations.” Signing Knowles to a significant deal marked the latest, and quite expensive, indication that Penn State is pushing hard for its football program to reach new heights. 

“When we were able to go out and compete with who we competed with to get arguably the best defense coordinator in college football, I'm very, very appreciative of that,” Franklin said. “I know there’s a ton of excitement from our players, there's a ton of excitement from the fans, a ton of excitement from our supporters and alumni and lettermen, and all those things matter.”

Since Penn State hired Kraft in 2022, Franklin’s team has a 34-8 overall record with a Rose Bowl victory, Peach Bowl appearance and two CFP wins. As the Nittany Lions’ trajectory trends upward, the fan base’s expectations are also rising. To Franklin, there’s a clear connection between the Knowles hiring and fans’ growing desires for a national championship.

“To a passionate and hungry fan base, I think it speaks volumes,” Franklin said. “... What's great about being at a place like Penn State? I've been at places in my career where you have a dream list [of candidates] and they're not really realistic. Your dream list at Penn State is realistic, specifically now with the support that we have.”

More Penn State Football

Penn State's 2025 defense will mix returning talent with fresh energy

Saquon Barkley fans: Get your Sports Illustrated commemorative Super Bowl issue

Penn State's Abdul Carter rising as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.