The Ohio State Buckeyes have lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the Penn State Nittany Lions. It was a tough blow for a team that was fresh off of a national championship win.

Knowles helped lead Ohio State to being the top defense in the country. So far, the Buckeyes have not replaced him.

His departured was not received well by Ohio State fans and many of the players. While they may not dislike Knowles, his decision to leave was taken personally by many. Knowles deciding to go to a Big Ten opponent also did not help his cause.

Now that he has joined his new team, Knowles spoke out and sent a message to the Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day.

“I’m grateful for my time at Ohio State and the opportunity that Coach Day gave me. We had the No. 1 defense in the country, we won a national championship,” Knowles said

Finding a way to replace Knowles will not be easy. He is one of the best defensive minds in college football.

Hopefully, Day is able to bring in another coach who can live up to the standards set by Ohio State and the fans. There are quite a few great candidates who have been linked to the Buckeyes already.

Ohio State will face off against Knowles on November 1. That will be a game that the Buckeyes’ defense will want to win a little bit more than usual. The offense will also be motivated to put together a strong performance again the former leader of the defense.

It will be interesting to see how the 2025 season ends up going. Ohio State is expected to be a championship contender once again, but Penn State is also expected to be a contender.

There would be no sweeter feeling than to end up finishing higher than Knowles and his new team.