Jim Knowles Expected to be Hired as Tennessee's Defensive Coordinator
Tennessee is expected to hire former Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the same position in Knoxville, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Head coach Josh Heupel fired Tim Banks after the Vols ranked near the bottom of the SEC in several key defensive statistics in 2025. This is a splash hire for Tennessee, which has struggled on defense during most of Heupel's tenure, with the exception of 2024. Knowles led Ohio State's defense to the No. 1 total and scoring unit in the Big Ten in 2024. In Knowles' final season as Oklahoma State's defensive coordinator in 2021, the Cowboys ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense (18.2). Based on Heupel's resume of high-powered offense, a strong defense under Knowles could propel Tennessee back into the College Football Playoff discussion in 2026.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
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