If you’re Notre Dame, you must proceed with caution with Jim Knowles and his Ohio State defense near the goal line. The Buckeyes stand at 2nd in the red zone defense heading to the national championship title game tonight. Knowles, in his third year, appears to be making big strides. The journey to be the No 1 defense in the country was anything but a walk in the park. The excellence came in layers over the years, with a lot of hard work and consistent effort to be better with each passing day. The Philadelphia-born was known for his extensive knowledge and the bird’s-eye vision that handsomely contributed to the defensive growth of Ryan Day’s squad in the last couple of years.

After a remarkable season, if the DC can make it to a national championship this year, he will go down in history as one of the most generational defensive heads that the program has ever seen. But the recent rumor left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Jim Knowles to leave for Oklahoma? Explained

The question it begs: what’s next? The rumors swirling over the air heavily suggested the Jim Knowles era in Columbus was going to end in a little while. So, what’s the tea? How does the star defensive coordinator weigh in between the high-flying success and the floating bruit? Well, he has been linked to the Oklahoma Sooners’ vacant DC post by the social media pundits and some veterans. The Sooners’ defensive coordinator job is wide open after former DC Zac Alley left the house in late December to become West Virginia’s DC and assistant head coach. That leaves Brent Venables in pursuit of finding a proper fit for his coaching staff this offseason.

The idea is certainly exciting. But there is still no solid ground to hold on to that. Yes, Knowles has some ties with the Sooner State, as he previously worked as defensive coordinator for one of Oklahoma’s arch-rivals, Oklahoma State. But that, in any way, guarantees a foundation for the scuttlebutt. You might now think of asking the coach straightaway about his stance. Well, that, too, didn’t show much silver lining for the OU fans.

“Beat Notre Dame, that’s all I’m focused on,” Knowles said, addressing the growing Oklahoma rumor. “These things happen. I guess, when you have success, players are making plays. My job is to put them in the best position. These things come up when you do well.” Knowles’ rumored arrival is an unsolved mystery to the insiders as well. They still seem clueless about where it’s going. But the non-movement of the Sooner’s higher-ups about recruiting their next DC hints at their intent to land a perfect match on the board.

Danny Kanell, Oklohoma insider, talked with some people who said

, ”Jim Knowles being the next defensive coordinator at Oklahoma is quite definitely a possibility.” But Kanell personally didn’t find much tea. ”Yeah, I don’t really know what that means, but these people did not say, no any chance, that’s not happening, which once again is very interesting when you consider the entirety of the situation,” Kanell said,”It feels like they’re waiting on somebody, and all signs point to Jim Knowles. I just do think it doesn’t make a ton of sense to me from Jim’s perspective but maybe there are just some details that I’m not aware of so that’s where I don’t really know what to think but the thought of Jim Knowles being the next defensive coordinator at Oklahoma is a very exciting thought they got a fish on the line,” the insider added. Teddy Lehman chimed in, noting there was some sting attached to the idea, no matter how small or big. The conspiracy didn’t brew out of the blue at all. They expect some quick movement in that direction right after Monday.

Knowles has been relentlessly carrying the torch of the Buckeyes’ trademark standard on the defensive front as a witty play-caller since 2022 and helped lead them to the national championship game this season. The Buckeyes ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 1 in total defense, and No. 3 in rush defense this season. These numbers pretty much sum up why the Sooners promote the idea of Knowles joining the force. I mean, who doesn’t want a coach who is providing top-notch quality and unwavering loyalty at the same time?

Jim Knowles spilled the secret of his coaching success at Columbus 

A veteran coach with 40 years of experience could add a lot to the OU camp. His brief stint as Cornell’s coach from 2004-09 and as the defensive play-caller at Duke and Western Michigan would significantly help to land him a spot with the Sooners. His top-tier defensive mind, which is widely regarded as one of the pristine in college football, with a 4-2-5 scheme, could help Venables make his CEO coach dream a reality in some years. But since the OSU DC currently has his eyes on the prize at Atalanta, we better wait until the end of the breathtaking final game to come to a settling conclusion.

By that time, it’s a perfect time to look through the secret of his most sought-after status. Well, the high-flying success at Columbus owes to a single formula: Letting talented players do their jobs and not over-coaching. The mindless control freak behavior ruins a lot of classic opportunities in a team. Knowles knows that well and, hence, doesn’t allow his supremacy to take over all the time.

Like a true boss, he makes the players think, work, reflect, rework, and repeat. But he doesn’t sit back and relax, nonetheless. He constantly works to ensure a proper balance when it comes to aggressive playing. “It’s just constant. I don’t think I ever feel good about it,” Jim Knowles said. “That’s why I keep working. I won’t take any days off. You’re always fighting for that balance.”

The generational workhorse shines out in his own light and hopefully stands closer to making history at the Mercedes Benz stadium tonight. Let him just live throught the moment, The Oklahoma hype can wait!