Penn State Turns to Jim Knowles for Guidance After Loss to Oregon

Knowles helped Ohio State move past a loss to Oregon and win a title. Penn State wants to follow the same script.

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

Jim Knowles has a new role at Penn State. In addition to his position as the team's defensive coordinator, Knowles has become an advisor on winning a national championship after losing an early game to Oregon.

Penn State fell to the Ducks 30-24 in double overtime at home Saturday night, a game that head coach James Franklin called frustrating but not season-ending. He quickly pivoted to what Knowles and Ohio State did last season. The Buckeyes lost 32-31 at then-No. 3 Oregon last October, the only time Ohio State's defense allowed more than 23 points on their national-championship run.

So following his team's loss to Oregon, Franklin reminded the Nittany Lions of Ohio State's 2024 title pursuit, which also included a November loss to Michigan. Knowles, who was Ohio State's defensive coordinator last season, spoke with his defense about the subject Sunday and also with the coaching staff. Franklin said he wants Knowles to speak with the entire team as well.

"I spoke with Jim about it, Jim talked to the defense about it," Franklin said at Monday at his weekly press conference. "I actually was hoping he'd speak to the whole team about it, but he ended up just talking to the defense about it. We'll probably follow back up on that. He talked to the staff about it as well. So I think that's that's been valuable.

"Obviously, he's got good perspective on these things, and a ton of information from that situation. ... I think that's an important message for our entire team to hear."

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

Nittany Lions look to rebound from loss to Oregon

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning watches over his team in a game vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State, which fell to seventh in this week's AP top 25, lost yet another bitter one-possession game to a top-10 opponent. Of their last seven losses dating to 2023, the Nittany Lions have dropped five of those games by eight points or less, including two to Oregon. All but one of those losses were to opponents ranked in the AP top 6.

"We've lost to really, really good teams," Franklin said, "and I take that very hard and I take that very personally, because I know how important that is to so many different people."

Knowles' defense, however, has been among Penn State's bright spots. Oregon certainly had its successes vs. the Nittany Lions. The Ducks totaled 424 yards of offense, quarterback Dante Moore went 29-for-39 and the unit converted five of seven fourth-down attempts, including a 20-yard pass that set up a field goal.

However, Penn State held Oregon to just that field goal on five first-half possessions and to 17 points in regulation. Penn State became just the third team to hold Oregon under 20 points in regulation during Dan Lanning's tenure. Franklin said fatigue hit the defense late, contributing to the two overtime touchdowns.

"I think our defense ran out of gas," Franklin said. "I think for three quarters, they were on the field too much, and that's a combination of them not being able to get off the field and our offense not being able to stay on the field. But I saw a ton of grit from our guys and I saw a ton of resiliency from our guys."

Thus Franklin's message about last year's Ohio State team. National analysts already have drawn comparisons between Penn State 2025 and Ohio State 2024, particularly regarding the programs' talent-retention plans. Before the season, FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt said the Nittany Lions were following the same "blueprint" as Ohio State last year and Michigan in 2023.

"Both of those teams had a core group of veteran players stay," Klatt said on a preseason episode of his podcast. "They stayed and they won a championship. Both of those teams had veterans at quarterback. They had veterans on both sides of the ball. They were excellent at the line of scrimmage. They had chips on their shoulders from the way that they were bounced in the postseason in years prior. All of that is true about Penn State."

Franklin hasn't been shy repeating the messge.

"It's also very telling, and this was a message with our team, that the team in our conference last year that won the national championship had two conference losses during the season," Franklin said Monday. " I think two of the top-five teams in the country lost this week. So I think college football is different than maybe how it's been in the past, and you've got to do everything you possibly can to put yourself in the best position to get into the playoffs and then make a run."

Penn State hits the road for the first time this season, visiting UCLA on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30p.m. ET on CBS.

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq attempts to run through Penn State safety King Mack during their game at Beaver Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images