What New Dc Jim Knowles Said About Tennessee Football S Three New

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 12, 2026, 5:39 AM

what new dc jim knowles said about tennessee football s three new

Tennessee football is bringing in a new-look defensive staff under first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. The Vols parted ways with Tim Banks, who had worked as defensive coordinator under head coach Josh Heupel since 2021, following the season. UT officially announced its new defensive staff on Friday. Tennessee retains linebackers coach William Inge and defensive line coach Rodney Garner, but adds three new faces in Anthony Poindexter, Andrew Jackson and Michael Hunter Jr. The new staff holds a combined 101 years of Power Four coaching experience and has produced over 70 NFL Draft picks. All have coached in either a College Football Playoff, New Year’s Six Bowl or BCS Championship with a combined 38 appearances.

“We are excited about the experienced defensive staff we have assembled as we start the New Year,” Heupel said in a release. “This group has a long, distinguished track record of outstanding recruiting, player development and coaching technique in either the Big Ten or SEC. They are already in our facility and working hard with Coach Knowles to help restore the standard of defense we expect to play at Tennessee. We would like to formally welcome Anthony, Andrew and Michael to Rocky Top.” New Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is getting his first look at the players he inherits during Music City Bowl practice. Knowles, who was hired to replace fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks, attended Tennessee football practice and observed players on Dec.

16. He did not coach during practice, but he kept a keen eye on the Vols who can return in the 2026 season to play for him. “I told everybody that it’s a clean slate. It’s like we’re all freaking freshmen again,” junior linebacker Jeremiah Telander said. “Even today, (Knowles) is in the back watching everybody. But just do what you’re supposed to do every day and be yourself.”

Knowles arrived in Knoxville over the weekend and introduced himself to the team. He will not coach in the game when No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville. Instead, linebackers coach William Inge will serve as interim defensive coordinator.

Telander, the only defensive player available to media on Dec. 16, indicated that the Vols are running some of Banks’ scheme along with tweaks implemented by the remaining staff. Jim Knowles has been hired as the next Tennessee football defensive coordinator, UT announced Dec. 11. Coach Josh Heupel fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks on Dec. 8 following a lousy season defensively.

Heupel opted to pluck Knowles from Penn State to fill the role on his staff. Knowles was the defensive coordinator on Ohio State's national championship team in 2024. The Buckeyes' run to the title included a 42-17 win over Tennessee in a College Football Playoff first-round game. Ohio State held the Vols to 256 yards of offense and only 104 yards passing. OSU had the best scoring defense and total defense in the nation in the 2024 season, allowing 12.9 points and 254.6 yards per game. It ranked third in passing defense (167 yards per game) and rushing defense (87.6 yards per game).

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 has hired Jim Knowles as its next defensive coordinator following the firing of Tim Banks earlier this week, the university announced Thursday. The move signals a major effort by coach Josh Heupel to re-establish his team's defensive identity after a costly drop-off in performance in 2025. Banks, who was dismissed Monday after five seasons in Knoxville, saw his defense collapse this fall.

Once a unit that helped carry Tennessee into the College Football Playoff just a season ago, the Volunteers surrendered 28.8 points per game and allowed 395.5 yards on average -- both third-worst in the... Enter Knowles, who after spending 2025 at Penn State, was not retained by incoming coach Matt Campbell and found a landing spot in Knoxville. Knowles' coaching résumé is among the most decorated for a defensive coordinator. Before Penn State, he spent three seasons as defensive coordinator at Ohio State -- including the 2024 national championship season, when his defense ranked No. 1 in the country in both scoring (12.9) and total defense (254.6). "Hiring Jim Knowles was our top priority from the start of this process," Heupel said in a statement.

"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. The Tennessee Volunteers are actively searching for their next addition to the staff, and that addition will likely be made when they announce who will be taking the defensive coordinator position. The DC job opened up after an announcement was made that the Vols were moving on from Tim Banks at the defensive coordinator position. The Vols have been linked to many different defensive coordinators, but there has been a certain group of coaches that have been pushed through the media and to the public the most.

The Tennessee Volunteers have officially been linked to a coach who is more likely than the others. They have been linked to a national championship-winning DC, who has spent seasons with many of the top teams. Here was the first report. "Penn State DC Jim Knowles has emerged as a possibility for the defensive coordinator job at Tennessee, sources tell @CBSSports," Matt Zenitz reported on Wednesday. Before Penn State, Knowles was the DC at Ohio State for three years and was a key piece of the Buckeyes’ national title run last season." Following that, Zenitz reported that Knowles is expected to be the next defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Here is what was said in the report. This article/post contains references to products or services from one or more of our advertisers or partners. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products or services. Jim Knowles will make less at Tennessee next season than he did at Ohio State in 2024 when he helped the Buckeyes to a national championship. The Volunteers formally announced the hiring of Knowles on Thursday. He’ll take the place of Tim Banks, who was fired on Dec.

8, and he’ll come at a slight discount. According to contract details obtained by On3’s Chris Low, Knowles will be paid $2 million to coordinate the Tennessee defense next season. Knowles will make $2.2 million in 2027 and $2.4 million in 2028, according to a report from Low. Banks was paid $2.15 million this season. He just inked a 3-year contract extension last January after helping Tennessee to the College Football Playoff, but the defense underperformed this year and that forced Josh Heupel back into the market for a... 2024 (r-So.) - Southern Illinois.

Played linebacker for coach Nick Hill at Southern Illinois. Earned Associated Press All-American honors (honorable mention), Phil Steele (4th Team) and FCS Football Central (3rd Team) Finished No. 20 in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in... Missouri is expected to add Garrett Riley, a former Big 12 and ACC offensive coordinator, to the offensive coaching staff, a source confirmed to CBS Sports and 247Sports Insider Matt Zenitz. It is believed that Riley will be involved in coaching Missouri's quarterbacks, according to 247Sports sources. The hire was...

In a bit of an unorthodox turn during his pre-Mississippi State press conference, Kentucky men's basketball coach Mark Pope was asked about politics. To be more specific, Pope was asked about Kentucky 2026 House Bill 42, a proposed bill that affects in-state collegiate athletics. In the bill, Kentucky and Louisville... Danny Waugh and Tykera Carter break down the game between George Mason and George Washington on Sunday, January 11th. Brian Tapu joins the list of Huskers entering or planning to enter the transfer portal. Tapu redshirted his first season in Lincoln after joining last year's recruiting class.

Originally from New Zealand, he played his prep football in Salt Lake City and drew the attention of some power programs. The...

What New Dc Jim Knowles Said About Tennessee Football S Three New

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