In his first interview since joining Penn State as defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles outlines his vision for a championship-caliber defense and his commitment to player development.
In his first interview since taking the helm as Penn State 's defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles laid out not only his recruiting strategy but also the ethos he plans to bring to the Nittany Lions. Speaking with former Nittany Lions great Michael Mauti, an official media partner of Penn State football, Knowles emphasized that while Penn State will undoubtedly field a dominant defense aiming for national championships, the program will also prioritize player development and professionalism.
'We're going to sell, hey, we're going to be a great defense, we're going to win the national championship, but we're also going to teach you how to be a pro,' Knowles said.Penn State lured Knowles away from the national-champion Ohio State Buckeyes, where he spent the past three seasons building the Buckeyes' defense into the nation's top-ranked unit. Knowles, a 37-year coaching veteran, is conveying this message to prospective recruits. 'We’re telling them that we’re going to be the No. 1 defense and we’re going to win the national championship,' Knowles shared. He also lauded Penn State coach James Franklin for establishing 'a real defensive culture' within the program. Penn State has consistently boasted highly ranked defenses over the past decade under coordinators like Brent Pry, Manny Diaz, and Tom Allen. Knowles acknowledged this strong foundation and his role in propelling it further. 'Having been through various coordinators recently, the defense has still been pretty damn good,' Knowles told Mauti in the interview. 'Certainly situations I’ve gone into in the past where you have to really rebuild everything. This is not that. It is more of just elevating to that ultimate top level, but it does come in a lot of different ways. I think with game planning and teaching the details, making sure the players understand the situations and where we can get an advantage in those situations, and a lot of times those things don’t come up until you play the premier opponents. We’re going to go about it from a very structured teaching program and we’re going to begin with the end in mind that we’re teaching you how to win all those situations.' 'Coach Franklin has created a real defensive culture here,' Knowles added. '... Hopefully I can just bring that different perspective that helps.
JIM KNOWLES PENN STATE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR RECRUITING STRATEGY OHIO STATE JAMES FRANKLIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
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