Penn State’s new head coach, Matt Campbell, has been making significant moves to rebuild the roster. It starts with the arrival of his old school buddy, Jon Heacock. This puts Jim Knowles in not retained in the coaching staff, turning into a blessing for the Tennessee Volunteers.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Penn State’s new head coach, Matt Campbell, is expected to bring Jon Heacock from Iowa State to take over the Defensive Coordinator role, letting go of Jim Knowles from his existing role. Knowles, after a lone year with the Nittany Lions, is likely to hit the market in search of his next home. With Tennessee actively looking for its DC, it could be his likely destination.

While Knowles was released from Penn State’s DC role, CBS first reported Knowles as a potential target for the Tennessee job. Confirming the rumors, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Tennessee is targeting Jim Knowles to be its defensive coordinator, and there’s an active negotiation of the deal. With that being said, the 60-year-old is expected to finalize a deal with the Volunteers soon.

Tennessee fired its 5-season DC Tim Banks on Monday, as the defense started slipping this fall. The Volts’ defense fell to 113th rank nationally in pass defense and allowed more than 33 points in seven games, including 45 to Vanderbilt, to lose their regular-season finale with the in-state rivals.

As the DC search is in process, Knowles could be a great fit for the role, bringing his experience and expertise to the table. The 60-year-old defensive mastermind attained immense success during his time in Oklahoma State and Ohio State. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award back in 2021, during his time at Oklahoma State.

He then moved to Ohio State and led the 2024 defense, allowing the fewest points and yards, and helped them win the national title. Knowles had a short, successful run at Penn State, but it didn’t turn out as expected.

Jim Knowles as Penn State’s Defensive Coordinator

Knowles joined James Franklin’s Nittany Lions staff ahead of the 2025 season, leaving Ohio State after the 2024 national championship win. The 60-year-old promised that he’ll make better use of his experience and expertise to uplift the Nittany Lions’ defense. 

But that experience didn’t turn out well. Knowles’ defense had an up-and-down throughout the season. His complicated scheme didn’t have an immediate impact, as the players seemingly took longer to learn than expected. Knowles factor reflected in Penn State’s defense in the second half of the season, but wasn’t having its full effect.

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The Nittany Lions’ defense finished the season ranking 34th in total defense, 37th in scoring defense, 72nd in rushing defense, and 22nd in passing defense. The Lions unit was also ranked 40th in sacks and 94th in turnovers gained, but had a big-time trouble getting off the field on third down. This made PSU ranked 95th in that category. 

While Knowles still has two years left in his contract to prove his expertise, the coaching changes didn’t retain him. Penn State will owe Knowles a $7 million buyout with two years remaining on the deal.