Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has helped restore the Buckeyes defense back to prominence this season, culminating with a trip to the National Cha

Ohio State’s run to the National Championship has been a special one and one more win would cap off the Buckeyes’ first title in a decade. The Buckeyes have gotten a strong showing from both the offense and defense throughout the playoff.

Jim Knowles has a pretty good gig at Ohio State, but could he be lured to OU? Why the defensive coordinator move isn't completely impossible.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is now in his third season leading the Buckeyes defense. The group has gotten better every year under Knowles, and Ohio State currently has the No. 1 defense in the country entering the national championship game against Notre Dame.

Ohio State DC Jim Knowles was dismissive of job offer rumors ahead of College Football Playoff National Championship Game vs. Notre Dame

Speaking at media day ahead of the College Football Playoff national championship game on Saturday, Knowles sidestepped the question. Knowles was the third-highest paid assistant in college football in 2024, earning $2.2 million. He remains under contract through 2026. Oklahoma paid Alley $850,000.

Titled “Chapter of Champions,” the team released its pregame hype trailer, narrated by Ohio’s own and NBA legend LeBron James. “This journey is not so different from our past eight championships,” James began. “They wrote us off, but every time, we kept writing.”

The 59-year-old coach has previous DC stints at Oklahoma State (2018-2021), Duke (2010 to 2017) and Western Michigan (2001-2002). He was also the head coach at Cornell, his alma mater, from 2004 to 2009. Knowles has been the defensive coordinator with Ohio State since 2022.

Here’s what defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said Tuesday about the Fighting Irish, and more: Knowles gave a humorous response to the team’s goal line stand. He said that on the third down play, the team was in a red zone coverage that they hadn’t used before, and on the fourth down play, they kept it the same.

In reflecting back on the decision to hire Jim Knowles away from Oklahoma State as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, it’s hard to imagine it could have gone any better. The OSU

A photo shared by Vice President Kamala Harris from Jimmy Carter's funeral has gone viral due to the exclusion of President-elect Donald Trump. Tom Brady’s transition into the world of commentary hasn’t been the smoothest ride, and it appears to be hitting new bumps along the way. DC about to get bawitdaba.