Ohio State loses their national championship winning defensive coordinator and will take it in stride.
Jim Knowles left Ohio State for Penn State on the day the Buckeyes celebrated winning the 2024 National Championship in Ohio Stadium. The timing stinks and Knowles’ reasons can only be guessed at the moment. Rumors are many, ranging from an older one about Knowles not getting along with Buckeye defensive line coach Larry Johnson to Ryan Day forcing changes to be made by the defense after the loss at Oregon in October. Regardless of why he’s leaving, Ohio State is going to be just fine.
Whether the Buckeyes hire from within and promote a member of the defensive staff like James Laurinaitis, Tim Walton, or Larry Johnson Sr, or if they get someone currently outside the program like Jeff Hafley, Mike Tressel, or someone else, the Buckeyes will be just fine. Their 2024 season is the proof, and that proof can ironically be found in the Buckeyes hiring offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after the 2023 season.
Bringing Chip Kelly allowed Ryan Day to loosen the reins on the Ohio State offense, to Kelly and Co-Offensive Coordinator Brian Hartline more. While that hit a bump in the road against That Team Up North, it more than paid off in the College Football Playoff.
The reason that means good things for the defense going forward is because it allows head coach Ryan Day to work with the defense more closely, including the defensive coordinator. It’s obvious that he’s worked with the defense more in 2024 than any previous year as a head coach. The changes they made after the Oregon game had Coach Day more involved with the defense.
In his first two seasons, Coach Knowles wouldn’t change even if things were going poorly. Look no further than the final two games of 2022 where they gave up so many big plays with no adjustments made. In 2025, the Buckeyes won’t be starting from scratch like they were in 2022 and that’s because they still have their national championship-winning head coach directing them. The offense, defense, and the entire Buckeye team are Ryan Day’s.