The Jim Knowles experiment at Penn State never worked, led to James Franklin’s firing, and ended in just one season. The former Ohio State defensive coordinator has now left the cold of the Big Ten for the warmer SEC weather. And he has learned his lessons, as he sets out for a new inning at Tennessee.

“This defense is being rebuilt. I mean, staff-wise, personnel-wise. What are the most important things at the start?” Tennessee Athletics’ podcast host Mike Keith asked Knowles on January 23. For the former Ohio State defensive coordinator, handpicking his defensive staff is crucial. Something that can be linked to his rumored rift with OSU DLs coach Larry Johnson.

“Staff alignment is critical. I was able to bring a few people here. Keep some great cultures and coaches,” Knowles said. To sustain his own defensive culture, Knowles emphasized bringing in “a lot of coaches who already know what I do.” Several times, the key words Knowles emphasized were “staff alignment,” which, according to him, “advances your progress quickly.”

Several factors led to Knowles’s departure from Columbus. The OSU head coach’s interference in his personal schemes after the Oregon loss was one. The program’s failure to hand him a contract extension was another. But now, after Knowles’ emphasis on ‘staff alignment,’ it seems his rumored rift with Larry Johnson might have played a bigger role in his decision to join Penn State.

Larry has been with the Ohio State team since the 2014 season, dating back to Urban Meyer’s tenure. Knowles, in turn, was a recent addition, joining the Buckeyes in 2022. Unexpectedly, both coaches’ defensive philosophies reportedly clashed.

Knowles wanted a modern, hybrid, and multiple-look approach to his defense, using varied fronts and safety-driven coverages. This indicated lighter boxes, hybrid edges, and more aggressive secondary fronts. Translation: Knowles wanted a three-man front, which was incorporated into the formations, but with a compromise. The DC’s signature ‘Jack’ hybrid, which he deployed at Oklahoma State and Duke, was never seen in his tenure. Why did this happen?

The absence of the ‘Jack’ hybrid can be attributed to Larry Johnson’s ‘old school’ Buckeyes philosophy. The DLs coach emphasized deploying 4-man front packages, which were deeply rooted in the program culture. Knowles had to come to some form of compromise, modifying his schemes. Reportedly, Johnson also was rumored to have given Knowles an ultimatum to change his schemes.

After the Oregon loss and a glaring defensive failure in the 2024 season, criticism mounted on Knowles. Nick Saban called parts of Knowles’ defense “antiquated,” and head coach Ryan Day held “hard conversations” with his DC. The result? Knowles adopted increased creativity in the pass rush and more aggressive blitzes, incorporating hybrid elements. All signs pointed to a compromise.

Jim Knowles and Larry Johnson open up on their rumored rift

The DL were rotated more frequently, and Knowles’ post-season philosophy looked like a ‘settlement’ on his own principles. Thereafter, the rumored differences with Johnson put pressure from another front, culminating in Knowles ditching Ohio State. However, Johnson has denied the rumors in the media, just as Knowles did.

“There was no conflict,” Johnson said. “Jim [Knowles] and I had a great relationship. I didn’t have an ultimatum (to use a four-man front). It was never that. But the story got created, which is unfair.” Jim Knowles also signaled toward a ‘water under the bridge’ scenario and didn’t linger on the conflict in front of the media.

“I’m comfortable with whatever Coach (Larry) Johnson deems appropriate,” Knowles said. “He’s around those guys all the time. He manages those guys, and he knows what he’s doing.”

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Coming to Knoxville, Knowles has a Herculean task ahead. The program finished with an 8-win season, primarily owing to its defensive struggles.

The Vols’ total defense ranked 92nd nationally, giving away 397.2 yards per game. Additionally, the team failed to defend leads and folded under pressure. The prime example was the Georgia game, where Stockton won it in the Vols’ den in overtime. Similarly, despite having a powerful rushing attack, the rushing defense was poor, ranked 73rd nationally.

To tackle the issues, now at Tennessee, Knowles has hired three of his former coaches, and by the looks of it, he won’t face the problems he had with Larry Johnson at Ohio State.