Jim Knowles has agreed to become the next defensive coordinator at Penn State, according to multiple reports.

Knowles leaves Ohio State after 3 seasons as the program’s DC. He was an integral part in building up the Ohio State defense over the past few years. He’s set to earn north of $3 million in 2025 — believed to be the most ever paid to a defensive coordinator in college football.

From any angle, it’s a massive hire for a Penn State program that has National Championship aspirations in 2025. The Nittany Lions were good on the defensive side of the ball in 2024 with Tom Allen running the show, but Knowles could bring their defense to a new level. Ohio State was first nationally in yards-per-play-allowed in 2024 and third in 2023.

It’s also a big win for Penn State from a perception standpoint — the Nittany Lions were successfully able to lure away a highly-coveted coach from a conference foe who just won the national title. That’s a rare feat — and proves that Penn State has the resources to compete with the top programs in college football in 2025.

Shortly after the hire was reported, college football media and fans were quick to share their reactions to the news:

Ohio State will host Knowles and the Nittany Lions on Nov. 1.