Since Ohio State is hiring Jim Knowles as its defensive coordinator, it is crucial to have a brief history of the new Ohio State defensive coordinator. Knowles has already accepted the new role of shoring up a unit that some will agree had a rough time at various points this fall. Although most people will claim that they know Knowles well, the reality is that are some things that you probably didn't know.

What you should know about Jim Knowles Defensive Coordinator

On April 16, 1965, Jim Knowles was born and graduated from Cornell in 1987. He has been on the defensive end for many clubs, including Big Red Football. Further, he served as an assistant coach at the University of Mississippi and Western Michigan University. On December 28, 2009, the Duke under the head coach David Cutcliffe named him the defensive coordinator. Further, on January 29, 2018, Oklahoma State hired him as the defensive coordinator, and his performance has always been incredible.

A Track Record of Improvement

During Knowles's four-year tenure in Stillwater, Oklahoma State's defense improved each year progressively. Likewise, when the Duke tasked him with their team's defense, he also showed significant signs of improvement. The culmination of his efforts was his side being ranked 21st. Therefore, as he takes up his new role at Ohio State, everyone will be expecting him to deliver elite results as soon as possible. He will likely transform Buckeye's defense into one of the nation's best. Nonetheless, he will be inheriting more talent than he has ever had in his previous coaching tasks.

An Incredible Coaching Background

Because Jim Knowles has more than 30 years of experience as a coach, he has a varied coaching background that renders him a man to watch in the history of defensive coordinator. He has done a little bit of everything, and even though most of his focus has been serving as a defensive coordinator, his extensive knowledge will always prove essential. Moreover, Knowles was the head coach at Cornell and brought the accumulated experience to the rest of the staff.

He was in High Demand

The other exciting thing about Jim Knowles Defensive Coordinator is that he was in high demand. First, Ohio was not the only one who sought his services. For instance, at some point, people thought that he would replace Brent Pry as Penn States' defensive coordinator. Also, Billy Napier was reportedly interested in getting Knowles' services.

Additionally, Mike Gundy was not willing to let Knowles out of Stillwater. He was seen promising that Knowles would be back in 2022. However, his dream seems to have become invalid. It is also worth noting that after Ohio State announced Knowles' hiring, many former and current players of Oklahoma State showed their love for the coordinator. The exhilaration put forward by these players is a sign of the high demand for Jim Knowles as a Defensive Coordinator.

What Ohio State is getting in new D.C. Jim Knowles