Tennessee Lands Ex Penn State Ohio State Defensive Coordinator
Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman will transfer to Tennessee football, giving new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles the player he called "Chazmanian Devil" when he coached him last season. Coleman acknowledged his commitment to the Vols on Instagram. Coleman was a five-star transfer prospect and the No. 1 edge rusher in the portal, according to 247Sports. He was ranked 13 spots ahead of Jordan Ross, the former Tennessee edge rusher that's he's replacing. Ross transferred to LSU.
Tennessee beat out Ohio State, LSU and South Carolina in landing Coleman. "(Coleman) is crazy athletic and explosive. For a freshman, he plays really hard, he plays to the echo of the whistle. He chases the ball all over the place," Knowles said on Aug. 12, when he was Penn State's defensive coordinator. "I call him the Chazmanian Devil."
Tennessee has made a splash hire for its new defensive coordinator. The Volunteers announced the hiring of former Penn State and Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on Thursday. Knowles is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the sport and helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title in 2024. He was hired at Penn State this past offseason in a blockbuster poach, but after a doomed season in Happy Valley that saw head coach James Franklin fired, Knowles — who was also previously... "Hiring Jim Knowles was our top priority from the start of this process," coach Josh Heupel said in a release. "Jim has a proven track record of developing elite defenses that play with an edge, and we got to see that first-hand during the 2024 College Football Playoff.
His defenses are always physical, well prepared and can adapt quickly in-game against today's complex offenses. He's a competitor, a winner and someone who will get the most out of our players in practice and on gameday. We are thrilled to welcome Jim to Rocky Top as he helps us chase championships." Knowles replaces previous defensive coordinator Tim Banks, who helmed one of the SEC's top defenses in 2024 before overseeing a significant backslide on that side of the ball this season as the Volunteers finished... One season after leaving his defensive coordinator position at Ohio State for the same role at Penn State, Tennessee has hired Knowles to be its new DC. Welcome to Rocky Top, @CoachJimKnowles!https://t.co/ta5ehTH2fI#GBO pic.twitter.com/AOTI5PO3lh
Per ESPN, Knowles will be paid $2 million in 2026, $2.2 million in 2027 and $2.4 million in 2028. By comparison, Knowles was paid $2.2 million in his final season as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2024 and signed a deal worth an average of $3.1 million per year to be Penn State’s... Tennessee makes this official. They will be paying him $2.0 million in 2026, $2.2 in 2027 and $2.4 million in 2028. (He also expected to get a buyout, which was being negotiated from the $7 million Penn State owed him on his deal.) https://t.co/2bUE1A9kfm Two staff overhauls from both programs involved prompted the move.
The Nittany Lions are hiring a new head coach in Iowa State's Matt Campbell, while the Volunteers are overhauling their defensive staff after firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks. Less than a week after firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks, Tennessee is hiring Penn State's Jim Knowles to replace him, according to a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Knowles, who spent one season at Penn State after winning a national championship as Ohio State's defensive coordinator a year ago, will now move on to his third school in as many seasons following... Penn State let go of James Franklin, who hired Knowles last offseason, and finalized a deal with Matt Campbell over the weekend. Shortly thereafter, Tennessee moved on from Banks, a Broyles Award finalist for top assistant a year ago, after the Vols regressed significantly on defense this season. The opportunity to land Knowles, a veteran defensive coordinator who is considered one of the top minds in the sport on that side of the ball, was too much to pass up.
Tennessee will close its season on Dec. 30 in the Music City Bowl against Illinois. After one season at Penn State, Jim Knowles is now the defensive coordinator at Tennessee. (Luke Hales / Getty Images) Tennessee announced Thursday that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has been hired for the same role. Knowles was the defensive coordinator for last year’s Ohio State national championship team.
He spent three years with the Buckeyes before joining James Franklin at Penn State. Franklin was fired midway through the season, and Penn State this week hired Matt Campbell from Iowa State as its new head coach. Knowles signed a three-year deal with Tennessee that will keep him among the country’s highest-paid coordinators. The deal calls for him to make $2 million in 2026, $2.2 in 2027 and $2.4 in 2028. 📰 » https://t.co/ta5ehTH2fI#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/AOTI5PO3lh Tennessee’s football team's defensive reset is officially underway after a frustrating 2025 campaign that ended with an ugly home loss to Vanderbilt and renewed questions about whether the Volunteers can actually break through in...
Tim Banks, a Broyles Award finalist just a year ago, is out as defensive coordinator after a season in which Tennessee repeatedly gave up explosive scoring totals and squandered momentum in Neyland Stadium, forcing... According to On3’s Chris Low, Tennessee is expected to hire Jim Knowles as its next defensive coordinator, with Knoxville widely viewed as his landing spot once he finishes working through a buyout from his... Low reports that Knowles is lined up to take over the Vols’ defense once he officially hits the market, giving Heupel a veteran play-caller with experience coordinating units at both Penn State and Ohio... The move signals a clear acknowledgment from Tennessee that last year’s defensive backslide was not acceptable for a program that wants to be more than just “solid” in the SEC.
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Penn State Edge Rusher Chaz Coleman Will Transfer To Tennessee
Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman will transfer to Tennessee football, giving new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles the player he called "Chazmanian Devil" when he coached him last season. Coleman acknowledged his commitment to the Vols on Instagram. Coleman was a five-star transfer prospect and the No. 1 edge rusher in the portal, according to 247Sports. He was ranked 13 spots ahead of Jordan R...
Tennessee Beat Out Ohio State, LSU And South Carolina In
Tennessee beat out Ohio State, LSU and South Carolina in landing Coleman. "(Coleman) is crazy athletic and explosive. For a freshman, he plays really hard, he plays to the echo of the whistle. He chases the ball all over the place," Knowles said on Aug. 12, when he was Penn State's defensive coordinator. "I call him the Chazmanian Devil."
Tennessee Has Made A Splash Hire For Its New Defensive
Tennessee has made a splash hire for its new defensive coordinator. The Volunteers announced the hiring of former Penn State and Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on Thursday. Knowles is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the sport and helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title in 2024. He was hired at Penn State this past offseason in a blockbuster poach, but after a doome...
His Defenses Are Always Physical, Well Prepared And Can Adapt
His defenses are always physical, well prepared and can adapt quickly in-game against today's complex offenses. He's a competitor, a winner and someone who will get the most out of our players in practice and on gameday. We are thrilled to welcome Jim to Rocky Top as he helps us chase championships." Knowles replaces previous defensive coordinator Tim Banks, who helmed one of the SEC's top defense...
Per ESPN, Knowles Will Be Paid $2 Million In 2026,
Per ESPN, Knowles will be paid $2 million in 2026, $2.2 million in 2027 and $2.4 million in 2028. By comparison, Knowles was paid $2.2 million in his final season as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2024 and signed a deal worth an average of $3.1 million per year to be Penn State’s... Tennessee makes this official. They will be paying him $2.0 million in 2026, $2.2 in 2027 and $2.4 million in...
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