News & Notes From Jim Knowles’ First Press Conference As Penn State Football’s Defensive Coordinator

It didn’t take too long for James Franklin to find his guy.
Jim Knowles, the former defensive coordinator for Ohio State, is now the third person to fill the role in as many seasons for Penn State football. Knowles replaces Tom Allen, who left the Nittany Lions for the Clemson defensive coordinator position shortly after the Orange Bowl.
In his first press conference since being hired on January 27, Knowles talked about a range of topics from what went into the decision of joining Penn State to what the defense will look like under his leadership.
On The Decision To Come To Penn State
Knowles was grateful for his time at Ohio State, saying he was well-supported by head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeye administration. Knowles said had great relationships with the players as he took the nation’s No. 1 defense to a national championship victory. When it came to Penn State, Knowles looked at the new challenge as a reward for past performances, remembering that as a kid, he felt the Nittany Lions’ football program was the place to be.
“You reach a point in your career where you’re given opportunities based on past performance. Penn State, for me growing up in inner-city Philly, was the epitome of college football,” Knowles said on Tuesday. “When I was a kid, I was never talented enough to make it to Penn State as a player, but given the opportunity to do it now as a coach, it’s really where I want to be to continue my career and bring any expertise that I can to the organization.”
On The Defensive System
Knowles had a simple way of describing what people will see with the Penn State defense this upcoming season. He also mentioned that he takes full responsibility for anything that happens on the field.
“I would think the first thing you’re going to see is that we’re going to have answers. That’s the biggest thing to me, is to make sure that we have answers for the players to be able to succeed, to put them in the right positions,” Knowles said. “I mean, we’ve all watched football. You can see where there’s a gaping hole or busted coverage. I never blame the players for that. I always take responsibility. If something happens negatively, the players know that in the game, that’s my responsibility.”
Knowles went on to say that to give the best chance to his players, he plans to use plenty of disguises to avoid being exposed by the opponent’s personnel.
On The Support From James Franklin & Penn State Leaders
Knowles expressed an overwhelming welcome to Happy Valley, relaying that he “felt the family.” He also talked about the clear “alignment” between Franklin, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft, and President Neeli Bendapudi.
“You feel that ‘We Are Penn State,'” Knowles said. “It means something to everybody, and [Franklin and Kraft] just want to win, and they want to win at the highest level, and they’re committed to doing whatever it takes, and they’ve just been welcoming. It’s been an easy transition.”
On Building Trust With Players
The new defensive coordinator emphasized that he values the connections he makes with his players. Knowles talked about not just being a friend to the players, but added that holding them and himself accountable will prove to be critical for building trust within the defense.
“There are times where you have to be pushing the discipline and holding them accountable. But then once they know that you’re accountable, those situations that come up where I make a mistake or something happens within the defense that’s not their fault. I think it’s important.” Knowles said. “I think that builds a lot of credibility and a lot of trust. And when times get tough, they know that you’re going to fix things and put them in the right positions.”
On His Coaching Style
Knowles has been known to coach from the field and the press box. Although no plan is fully in place, Knowles expressed that with technology, such as direct communication with the players on the field, being up high gives him “a lot more time to think.”
Although Knowles said that during practice he will be emotional and challenging with his approach, he’ll be a different person on gameday.
“The best place to be in order to think and remain calm and try to stay a couple of plays ahead and a series ahead is in the press box,” Knowles said. “That’s just what I found for myself, is that there’s a camera up there on me. Hopefully, you’re not going to see me reacting to a bad play, or even if we get a great play. I really try to stay centered. My job is to not cheer, or react, or yell.”
On Evaluating The Defense
With a great defense already, the new defensive coordinator is emphatic when he says that he doesn’t want to change everything.
“I don’t want to come in and just say, ‘This is what I’m going to do.’ It’s not going to be like that. Coach Franklin’s built a great defensive culture,” Knowles said. “I’m going to look at it step by step to see what we can retain, and then start to teach the guys… But we are definitely going to go through a process of meshing.”
This collaboration will take up most of Knowles’ time for the first month as he said he wants to identify as much “carryover” as possible to get the players ready sooner.
On Infrastructure & Staff Support
Penn State’s assistants have helped Knowles’ adjustment already. With Penn State’s assistants carrying the infrastructure of the Nittany Lions’ defense, Knowles is excited to work with them further. The defensive coordinator found that he shares similar values with his new coworkers.
“We just want what’s best for Penn State, and we want what’s best for our players, and that allows for a free exchange of ideas, where everybody’s free to say what they want and what worked and what they needed and what could make us better,” Knowles said. “It makes the whole process a lot easier, working with these guys that coach Franklin has here, and how much they love the school, and they love the program, and they just want to do what’s best.”
On Commitment To Winning A National Championship
Knowles ended his press conference with a statement that he wants to be “of service” to the Nittany Lions. He expressed how close Penn State was to the finish line this past season and thinks he can help lead this team to a national title.
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