Jim Knowles didn’t come to Tennessee for the money or the SEC spotlight. He came because he’d wanted this job for over two decades. And long before James Franklin hired him at Penn State, Knowles watched Tennessee through the man he called a mentor, David Cutcliffe. When Josh Heupel called, Knowles didn’t hesitate.

“I’ve had Tennessee kind of on my mind since I worked for David Cutcliffe, who was really interconnected with everything that happened here at Tennessee,” Knowles said on The Juice: Inside Tennessee Football. “It was all about establishing the right fit between us. I really felt part of the program from the day I arrived in town.”

David Cutcliffe played a big role in Jim Knowles’ coaching career. Their relationship started in 2003 when Cutcliffe hired Knowles at Ole Miss as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. Later, after Knowles became Cornell’s head coach, the two worked together again at Duke in 2009 when Cutcliffe hired him as defensive coordinator because he trusted his coaching ability and work ethic.

The connection also links closely to Tennessee football history because Cutcliffe was once Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, where he helped develop Peyton Manning. Because of that history, Tennessee was always a special place for Knowles. Cutcliffe became one of the coaches Knowles respected most, almost like a role model in his career.

So when Josh Heupel offered him the chance to join the Vols, it became very difficult for Knowles to turn down the opportunity to coach at a program connected to someone he admired for many years. Plus, Knowles got a lot of similar faces along with him, which made his transition even easier than he thought, thanks to the support of the head coach.

“It was important to me that we had staff for each level of the defense that had familiarity with what he had done in the past to only speed up the process of us becoming as good as we can, as fast as we can… this is really the first time I’ve been able to bring coaches in, making a change like and implementing a new defense,” HC Josh Heupel stated. “And now with the transfer portal actually able to bring some players. So that’s unique. It has accelerated our learning, you know, as a defense player to player, coach to player, but also coach to coach, having that familiarity and trust allows me to really let them do their work.”

When Jim Knowles joined Tennessee, the Vols also hired coaches who already knew his defensive system. Co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter and LEOs position coach Andrew Jackson worked with Knowles at Penn State in 2025, while cornerback coach Derek Jones previously coached with him at Duke. Because these coaches already understand how Knowles likes to run his defense, the Vols made sure he gets what he wants.

Now, if a team does so much for you, how can you turn them down, right? Now, you can think he left the team because of Penn State’s inconsistent run and coaching changes, but let’s not forget he left a championship-winning team to get what he deserved. And he came in with all those skills to Tennessee to lift the defense that sank last year.

How Jim Knowles can help Tennessee’s defense

Tennessee’s biggest defensive problem last season was stopping the run. Several teams ran the ball very easily against the Vols and controlled games on the ground. Illinois rushed for 221 yards in the Music City Bowl, Vanderbilt ran for 314 yards, and Oklahoma added 192 rushing yards against Tennessee. The defense also struggled in SEC games overall, allowing 33.6 points per game.

That is why Jim Knowles’ experience could be very important for Tennessee. Knowles has a strong history of building tough run defenses. In 2021, his Oklahoma State defense finished among the top five teams in the country against the run and also led the nation in sacks. In 2024, Ohio State was ranked first in run defense under Knowles, allowing just 87.6 yards per game.

And Knowles has already started working towards it after arriving in Tennessee. He quickly worked to fix the defense by adding experienced players through the transfer portal. Tennessee brought in former Penn State defenders like linebacker Amare Campbell, defensive end Chaz Coleman, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, and safety Dejuan Lane. The Vols also improved the secondary by adding players like TJ Metcalf and Kayin Lee.

Now, with all the hype around Jim Knowles’ hiring, expectations are sky high. So, let’s wait and see how things turn out for the team in the 2026 season.