Penn State continued a busy offseason by quickly making the hiring of Jim Knowles official. The veteran defensive coordinator from Ohio State took the same position with the Nittany Lions. His resume and the performance of his defenses speak for themselves. However, Knowles will have impacts on Penn State’s program that reaches beyond the X’s and O’s.
The Knowles Impact on Penn State: Beyond the X’s and O’s
Immediate Impact
The Knowles Effect should be impactful, and it should be immediate. On the field, the Penn State defense should still be a force to be reckoned with. Despite losing Abdul Carter, who declared for the NFL Draft, the defense returns foundational pieces like Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant on the defensive line. Knowles has shown a penchant for developing defensive backs as well. The returns of Zakee Wheatley, AJ Harris, and Zion Tracy will need to offset the loss of defensive backfield leaders KJ Winston (who suffered a long-term injury this past season) and Jaylen Reed.
Off the field, the Knowles hire also brings a lot more opportunity. It is a chance for offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterback Drew Allar to pick the brain of a coordinator who has shut down the Penn State offense multiple times. It also gives Franklin a lot more to talk about on the recruiting trail. The top defensive coordinator in college football is now with Penn State, and with that addition, the pressure is increasing to win now.
WWJD
It is no secret that the key to the offense heading into next season is quarterback Drew Allar. Allar’s pure talent is undeniable. However, his stats have been padded by his performances against lesser opponents. Similar to criticisms of head coach James Franklin’s record, a knock on Allar has been his performance against the top teams, teams like Ohio State.
Enter Knowles, who has orchestrated defenses that have shut down Allar. This past season, Allar completed 12 of 20 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception against the Buckeyes. In 2023, against Ohio State, Allar completed 18 of 42 attempts for 191 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Clearly, Knowles had a superior game plan compared to Penn State’s offense.
No longer do Allar and Kotelnicki have to wonder “What would Jim do?” to shut down Allar and the offense. Now, they can walk across the hall and ask. Prior defensive coordinators Manny Diaz and Tom Allen (who left for Clemson) could have given some perspectives. However, in Knowles, Penn State now has a proven coordinator who has made Allar and the offense look pedestrian multiple times.
Recruiting Impact
There is no doubt that Penn State is in “win now” mode. Bringing in Knowles proves that. His salary averages above $3 million annually. This resets the market for college coordinators. However, there is more than just the money for Knowles, and that will help in building the program to not only win now but also move forward successfully into the future.
Franklin can use the arrival of Knowles to boost recruiting. There are a lot of talking points that open up with his arrival. The top-rated defensive coordinator in the country picked Penn State, so top recruits may want to follow him. Not only that, but he also chose Penn State over the rival (and competitive recruiters) Ohio State. Playing in a Knowles defense, in Beaver Stadium during a White Out, will be another appealing aspect for recruits.
It was also personal for Knowles, and growing up in the Philadelphia area meant that Penn State carried extra weight in his decision-making process. This should resonate with Pennsylvania recruits. There have been too many Pennsylvania football stars that have gone elsewhere. As a recent example, Marvin Harrison, Jr. went from growing up in Philadelphia to Ohio State. The arrival of Knowles, and his story, could help keep more Pennsylvania talent in-state at State College. Of course, there is a bit of a track record of players going in the opposite direction too. Allar is from Medina, Ohio. The arrival of Knowles could open up a lot more on the recruiting on the program-building front, beyond the X’s and O’s.
Main Photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
