Jim Knowles made his coaching name as Oklahoma State and Ohio State's defensive coordinator. He played collegiately at Cornell from 1983 to '86.
However, despite his many detours, Knowles is at his heart a Pennsylvanian—a Philadelphian to be exact.
Addressing Penn State in a video released by the school Tuesday morning, Knowles recalled growing up a fan of the Nittany Lions in the Keystone State.
"We had like three channels on TV and you got up Sunday morning and you watched the Penn State highlights," Knowles said. "It was everything. That’s what we aspired to be. I couldn’t get there as a player, but through a lot of work, a lot of time, a lot of really good players, that allowed me to reach that point in my career where I could pick wherever I really wanted to be. Growing up as a kid, Penn State was everything and this is where I want to be.”
The Penn State roots run deep.#WeAre x @CoachJimKnowles pic.twitter.com/3vgLYwRlmJ
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) January 28, 2025
Penn State hired Knowles away from the Buckeyes on Sunday, just six days after Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34–23 to win the national championship.
The Nittany Lions are scheduled to open their 2025 season on Aug. 30 against Nevada.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jim Knowles Recalls Childhood Penn State Fandom in First Post-Ohio State Comments.
