Penn State’s previous defensive coordinator Tom Allen unexpectedly left for Clemson on Jan. 13. The ensuing 14-day stretch as Franklin searched for a replacement took plenty of turns, but the Nittany Lions' head man has always admired Knowles from afar and hoped to bring the Pennsylvania native back to the state.

Penn State football reportedly will make former Ohio State Buckeye Jim Knowles the highest-paid assistant coach in the nation.

The Philadelphia native and St. Joseph’s Prep alum will become Penn State ’s next defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports on Sunday. Knowles has been with Ohio State since 2022, and reportedly will be the highest-paid coordinator in college football history. The deal, according to ESPN, is worth $3.1 million over three years.