Shock commitment: top defensive player Tyler Atkinson, Decommit and Flip to Ohio state football boosting 2025-2026 over Alabama, Gator’s and Tennessee Vols welcome to Ohio….
Shock commitment: top defensive player Tyler Atkinson, Decommit and Flip to Ohio state football boosting 2025-2026 over Alabama, Gator’s and Tennessee Vols welcome to Ohio….
Jim Knowles joined the Ohio State Buckeyes on December 7, 2021. His experience before the hire included stints with Western Michigan, Ole Miss, Cornell, Duke and Oklahoma State.
Knowles gradually improved the Buckeyes’ defense and ensured that the team wasn’t involved in shootouts. His principles embodied the mantra, “Offense wins you games, but defense wins championships.” The Buckeyes got better each season and peaked in the 2024 season.
the just-concluded college football season, the Buckeyes’ defense ranked first in red zone defense, scoring defense and yards allowed. Thanks to Knowles and his players, they were not only phenomenal on the offensive side of the ball but were officially the country’s best defensive side.
The Jim Knowles heralded defense shone brightest in the expanded CFP playoffs, as the Buckeyes limited their opponents to less than 24 points in every game. Thanks to their stifling defense, Ohio State shut down some of the best quarterbacks, pass catchers and running backs in college football.
Hence, Knowles’ importance to Ohio State cannot be understated. The program would most probably make him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football.
