The Buckeyes silver helmets with Buckeye leaf stickers sit on the sidelines before the Ohio State-Akron game Sept. 25. Ohio State won 59-7. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is set to assume the same role at Ohio State come Jan. 2, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day said Tuesday.
Knowles has coached at the college level for 34 years, holding defensive coordinator roles at Western Michigan, Duke and Oklahoma State. Day said in a statement that Knowles will not assume the role until after the Rose Bowl and the Buckeyes will use their current defensive staff to prepare for the game.
“What is most important at this time is that we put our players in the best position possible to finish this season with a win in the Rose Bowl,” Day said. “To that end, we will continue our planning and preparation for the game with our current staff of 10 assistant coaches.”
Knowles led one of college football’s best defenses in 2021 as Oklahoma State ranked No. 3 in total defense in the country — allowing just 278.4 yards per game. The Cowboys led the nation in sacks, tackles for loss and finished eighth in points allowed per game with 16.8.
Knowles was a head coach at Cornell from 2004-09, where he amassed a career record of 26-34.
