Just days after Ryan Day lifted the Natty, his crown jewel, DC Jim Knowles, had his phone ringing. A much-anticipated game-changing turn for the Buckeyes ‘ post-championship fate. It was January 22nd, sharp 5:06 a.m., and Knowles was busy negotiating an open DC job deal in Pennsylvania. The rest is a throbbing history for the Buckeyes. The process went faster than James Franklin predicted. The Nittany Lions didn’t get to snag many wins against the nation’s wealthiest program. But snagging the defensive mastermind hits differently. The inexplicable move opened a floodgate of the narrative of PSU trying to get under the skin of their Big 10 rival.

But for Franklin, it was just chasing excellence in their way and nothing else. He wasn’t ready to buy the narrative. The college football world thrives on the word competition, both on and beyond the field. Ryan Day has already ignited a wave of speculation for his massive $20 million cap for the roster. So, the Day-antagonist theory was pretty easy to feed on. In a conversation with NBCSports, Nicole Auerbach, Franklin, busted the myth. “I’m just focused on trying to get the best people we can in our football building., Obviously, there are people who are going to, you know, spin that part of the story. I get it,” the PSU head coach made it clear.” It’s a fair point. But that was not the reason. It just came down to one of the best defensive coordinators in college football was available, and we made a run at him.”

The Nittany Lions, after an 11-1 regular season record, gave it up to Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. They ended up receiving a 27-24 blow against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Not quite so bad on paper! But Franklin believed the defense was still undervalued. Tom Allen, Abdul Crater, and all the other guns finished atop in total defense. But swooping someone with a record of allowing only 12.9 points per game across the season? The goal is clear. PSU is no more looking to be the star of the story. In 2025, they look to be the story itself.

Was the move worth it? The season-end report card will tell. Was that easy? Not remotely. “The challenge was that when we were looking for one, so was Notre Dame, yep, so was Oklahoma, and then Ohio State, trying to keep him.” Franklin broke down the uphill battle he had to nail to clinch the big win everybody’s raving about, ” So, it made it probably a little bit more challenging than I would have liked, but at the end of the day. I’m really glad he’s part of our family and in our building.”

Before finalising the deal, Knowles had visited the program a couple of times. That’s when James Franklin knew it was time to drive steadfast. The $9 million and a consistent push did the rest. “When this became a real opportunity with the support of our administration, you know we were able to get it done. So, he’s got a unique perspective on the conference.” Franklin continued unfurling hope, “He’s got a unique perspective on us. This spring has been phenomenal.”

But it’s not just the coordinators duo (Jim Knowles, Andy Kotelnicki) that can be the whole talking point in PSU’s 2025 endeavor. James Franklin and the team have another man to hold on tight.

Penn State has an underdog asset to lean in 

The off-season has been a crucial time for each team to refill, reevaluate their potential, and drawbacks. The critical roster shuffling, wise portal decisions can make a lot of difference. For Penn State, it’s their coaching staff’s addition that made the greatest storyline. But it’s not just Jim Knowles‘ esteemed season record with the national champion last year alongside an overall high-value resume, nor is it Andy Kotelnicki’s creative vision surrounding Drew Allar‘s development. It’s beyond that.