Coaching Accomplishments
- Jim Knowles, a native of Philadelphia who attended St. Joseph's Prep, is a 37-year college football coaching veteran and brings 17 years of experience as a defensive coordinator.
- He brings six years of head coaching experience (all at Cornell) and has made defensive coordinator stops at Ohio State (2022-24), Oklahoma State (2018-21), Duke (2011-17) and Western Michigan (1997-2002).
- Over the last four seasons (Ohio State and Oklahoma State), defenses coordinated by Knowles rank first nationally in total defense (284.8), second in scoring defense (15.7) and third down efficiency (30.5%).
- According to Coaches by the Numbers, since 2017, Knowles' defenses lead the nation in hard stop percentage (45.6), which measures the percentage of possessions in which the defense has forced a turnover, created a three-and-out or made a fourth down stop.
- Knowles led Ohio State's defense the last three seasons, winning a National Championship with the Buckeyes this past season where his defense ranked first nationally in scoring defense, total defense, yards allowed per play, touchdowns allowed per play and opponents touchdowns scored in the red zone.
- Ohio State's defense also ranked second in sacks, passing touchdowns allowed per game and opponent red zone score percentage, and third in rushing defense, passing defense and sacks per game.
- In his second season in Columbus, Knowles’ 2023 unit was third nationally in total defense, first is pass defense and 18th against the run.
- During his first season with the Buckeyes in 2022, the defense improved in all four major defensive categories from 2021, including total defense (45-spot improvement in the national rankings), scoring defense (14-spot improvement), passing defense (70-spot improvement) and rushing defense (2-spot improvement).
- Prior to Ohio State, Knowles spent four seasons at Oklahoma State, where his defenses improved each year in total defense, scoring defense, passing yards per game, yards per play, yards per pass, rushing yards per game and yards per rush.
- In 2021, Oklahoma State led the Big 12 and ranked in the top five in the FBS in sacks (1st), tackles for loss (2nd), third down defense (2nd), total defense (5th) and rushing defense (5th).
- In 2020, Oklahoma State led the nation and set a school record in third down conversion percentage defense (26.5) while also ranking first nationally in fumble return yards (190), tied for first in defensive touchdowns (4), eighth in fumble recoveries (10), ninth in tackles for loss per game (8.1) and 16th in sacks per game (3.0).
- During the 2018 campaign, Knowles helped the Cowboys to four wins over top 25 teams, including No. 6 Texas and No. 7 West Virginia, while ranking in the top 20 in sacks per game and tackles for loss per game.
- Knowles, who worked with David Cutcliffe at Mississippi in 2003 as his linebacker coach, spent eight seasons with him at Duke, where he was the Blue Devils’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2011-17, and coached safeties in 2010.
- Duke went to bowl games in five of his seasons there, including recording its first 10-win season and ACC Championship game appearance in 2013.
- During Knowles' final season in Durham in 2017, the Blue Devils ranked in the top 25 in seven defensive categories, including total defense.
- Knowles was the head coach at his alma mater, Cornell, from 2004-09 and helped the Big Red post three consecutive .500-or-better seasons for the first time in 14 years.
- Prior to Cornell, Knowles spent one season at Mississippi in 2003, where the Rebels went 10-3, won a share of the SEC West Division and defeated Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.
- He had a six-year stint at Western Michigan prior, from 1997-2002, and in 2002 when leading the defense, the Broncos led the MAC and ranked 28th nationally in total defense.
- A year after graduating from Cornell, Knowles became an assistant coach for the Big Red for nine seasons, through the 1996 season, winning two Ivy League championships in 1988 and 1990.
The Knowles File
Personal
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education: Cornell, 1987 - B.S. Industrial and Labor Relations
Family: Daughter: Halle; Sons: Luke, Jack
Coaching Career
2025 – Penn State (Defensive Coordinator)
2024 – Ohio State (Defensive Coordinator)
2022-23 – Ohio State (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2018-21 – Oklahoma State (Defensive Coordinator)
2011-17 – Duke (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2010 – Duke (Safeties)
2004-09 – Cornell (Head Coach)
2003 – Mississippi (Linebackers)
2001-02 – Western Michigan (Defensive Coordinator)
1997-00 – Western Michigan (Defensive Line)
1995-96 – Cornell (Linebackers)
1989-94 – Cornell (Running Backs)
1988 – Cornell (Defensive Line)
Playing Experience
- Cornell (1983-86)