Just last season, the Ohio State football program was the king of the college football world after winning the national championship. They went on an epic four-game run to win the national title, beating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame to do so.
Shortly after that victory, Jim Knowles decided to leave the Ohio State Buckeyes for one of their rivals. He left Columbus to head to Penn State, becoming the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football. It was a nightmare season for Knowles.
Penn State spiraled, losing three games in a row that culminated in James Franklin being fired. The Buckeyes blew out the Nittany Lions, and they haven't lost in over a year. Meanwhile, Knowles is soon going to be unemployed, as the new Penn State coach is bringing his own defensive coordinator with him.
Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles loses job after leaving the Buckeyes
New Penn State head coach Matt Campbell signed an eight-year deal to be the head coach of the Nittany Lions. He is also bringing defensive coordinator Jon Heacock with him from Iowa State. That means that Knowles will be without a job less than a year after winning a national championship.
Knowles will likely get paid the full amount in his contract, so he is still going to make a lot of money. It's unlikely he'll be without a job for too long. He's still respected as a defensive coordinator, even if Penn State's defense wasn't very good this season. His install usually takes about three years to get results.
Knowles chased the money when Ryan Day was ready to offer him a fair contract extension. Instead of sticking it to the Buckeyes, Knowles now has to find a new place to work. Meanwhile, Matt Patricia has Ohio State playing the best defense of anyone in the last decade.
Ohio State fans are certainly glad Knowles left. Patricia has been nothing short of fantastic.