Penn State Will Have a New Defensive Coordinator Under Matt Campbell

Jim Knowles reportedly is leaving the Nittany Lions after one season in which he was the nation's highest-paid assistant.

Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles talks with reporters during football media day in Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State will have a new defensive coordinator next season under head coach Matt Campbell. According to multiple reports, Jim Knowles will not return to the Nittany Lions in 2026. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported that Kraft is expected to accept the same position at Tennessee, which recently fired Tim Banks, another former Penn State assistant.

Knowles is the third Penn State staff member confirmed to be moving on from the program. Tight ends coach Ty Howle and quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien are joining James Franklin's Virginia Tech staff and will not coach with Penn State for the Dec. 27 Pinstripe Bowl.

It's unclear yet who will serve as Penn State's defensive coordinator for the bowl game vs. Clemson. Other coaches expected to move on are first-year running backs coach Stan Drayton and receivers coach Marques Hagans.

Tennessee is in fact expected to hire Jim Knowles as its new defensive coordinator, sources tell @CBSSports https://t.co/TpLP3lydFm pic.twitter.com/jiYzis9rZ2

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 10, 2025

Jon Heacock, who was Campbell's defensive coordinator at Iowa State for 10 years, is joining Penn State's staff in some capacity, though his title isn't confirmed. Heacock, a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 2017, also was on Campbell's staff at Toledo.

RELATED: Mount Union legend Larry Kehres details Matt Campbell's rise to Penn State

Knowles arrived at Penn State in January as part college football's biggest offseason move by an assistant. After winning a national championship at Ohio State, Knowles accepted a three-year contract at Penn State worth more than $9 million, making him the highest-paid assistant in the country.

However, Knowles' defense at Penn State labored to gain its footing, particularly in games against dynamic quarterbacks. The Nittany Lions gave up 294 total yards and five touchdowns to UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who led the Bruins to a 42-37 victory at the Rose Bowl.

Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski rushed for a career-high 130 yards, including a 67-yard run to set up the winning touchdown in the Hawkeyes' 25-24 victory. Ohio State quarterback, and Heisman Trophy finalist, Julian Sayin threw for 316 yards (247 to Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate) in the Buckeyes' 38-14 win.

Penn State's defense allowed fourth-quarter touchdowns in losses to Iowa, Northwestern and Indiana and two overtime touchdowns in a loss to Oregon. Penn State capped the regular season by allowing a season-high 533 total yards in a 40-36 win over Rutgers. Scarlet Knights running back Antwan Raymond rushed for 189 yards in the game.

Penn State ranked ninth in the Big Ten in total defense, 12th in third-down defense and 13th in rushing defense. Through the season, players and coaches described the learning curve required from a Knowles defense.

"It's complicated. It's very complicated," Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said in October.

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jim Knowles looks on from the sideline during the third quarter of the Blue-White spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

During Penn State's October bye week, Smith said that the defense remained a work in progress and compared it to school.

"Where football may have been so easy where [players say], 'I can grasp that, I can grasp that, I can grasp that,' now all of the sudden you have to study this like education," Smith said. "Like going to math class."

Knowles, in his 38th season coaching football and 18th as a defensive coordinator, arrived at Penn State with high expectations. In February, he said that Penn State was "so close" to winning the national champonship. And Knowles was supposed to be the difference for Penn State in beating high-profile offenses at Oregon and Ohio State.

"I think I can help," Knowles said after being hired. "I think I can be of service. Once you get past thinking you're going to be the head coach of the Green Bay Packers as you move forward in your career, you really start thinking about, how can I be of service? Where can I add to a great team, and be a part of a great team? And this is the place, because everything here is so close to winning it all, and I'm hopeful that I can help get it there."

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