Jim Knowles talks philosophy of the Jack position, what's 'non-negotiable' in his Ohio State defense

Jim Knowles spoke about the Jack position in his Ohio State defense, and was asked if it’s a non-negotiable piece of his scheme.

At Ohio State, nothing falls in the non-negotiable category, Knowles told reporters on Tuesday.

“My job is to get a defense that wins,” he said. “Whatever is best, that’s what we’re gonna do. We recruited for a 4-down (player), we have the best defensive line coach in the country, it’s not what I want, it’s what works. We’re going to continue to experiment with it, and if it catches fire with a guy like Mitch or C.J., if it’s good in recruiting, like I say, because we can show things to guys, where we can match them up against different people. So I think it’s always good to have in the arsenal. But we’re ultimately going to do what’s best for the team.”

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The Jack is a hybrid linebacker/stand-up defensive end position, and Knowles is targeting Mitchell Melton and C.J. Hicks to play that position this year.

Jim Knowles on the Jack position, whether or not that is a non-negotiable piece of his defensive scheme:

“Nothing is non-negotiable at The Ohio State,” Knowles said. “My job is to get a defense that wins. Whatever is best, that’s what we’re gonna do.” pic.twitter.com/HQ1v8Z52W5

— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) March 28, 2023