Jim Knowles knows his reputation. The year before he took over as defensive coordinator at Duke (2010), the Blue Devils ranked 108th in the country in total defense. In his last year with the program (2017), Duke climbed all the way to No. 21 in that metric. Similarly at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys ranked 79th in total defense the year before Knowles took leadership of the defense, and finished the 2021 season fourth in the nation in that category. Knowles has succeeded in turning the defenses around at each of his past two stops, but the 35-year coaching veteran also knows the timeline to enact change will be sped up considerably now that he’s at Ohio State. “There is a lot of pressure on me, that’s not lost on me. This is not an entry level position,” Knowles said Monday at his introductory press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.…
Continue Reading: Jim Knowles Knows Pressure is High For Immediate Defensive Turnaround at Ohio State, But Thinks Buckeyes Aren't Far Off
