The Oklahoma Sooners are in the thick of a high-stakes competition to land Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. According to Football Scoop, powerhouse programs like Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State itself are vying for the 59-year-old defensive mastermind to lead their defenses.
OU has had its sights set on Knowles since Zac Alley departed for West Virginia nearly a month ago. With head coach Brent Venables yet to name a replacement and Knowles not dismissing the speculation, optimism grew among Sooner fans that he was destined for Norman.
However, the situation has become increasingly complex. Knowles just helped guide Ohio State to a national championship victory over Notre Dame, cementing his status as one of the nation’s top defensive minds. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, Al Golden, has left for the NFL, and Penn State’s Tom Allen recently accepted a position at Clemson, leaving both programs scrambling for a top-tier replacement.
The stakes are enormous. All four programs boast nearly limitless resources and sky-high expectations, and every head coach involved is swinging for the fences to bring Knowles on board. OU is reportedly ready to offer up to $3 million annually—significantly more than the $850,000 salary Zac Alley earned last year. Penn State has upped the ante with a $3.2 million offer, while Ohio State will likely need to sweeten its deal to retain Knowles, who earned $2.2 million in 2024.
Adding to the intrigue, Knowles’ contract includes a $1.2 million buyout for any team looking to pry him away from Columbus. However, Oklahoma may hold a unique edge beyond financial incentives. Knowles is recently engaged, and his fiancée is from Oklahoma—a connection that ties him to a state where he previously worked as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021.
With so much on the line and several programs pulling out all the stops, the race for Jim Knowles has become one of the most compelling stories in college football’s offseason. Only time will tell where he’ll call home next.
