Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has liked much of what he has seen from his unit through three games, but he also has been clear about one area that needs to improve before the Nittany Lions meet Oregon.
“I really evaluate myself with what I see on the field, and what I’ve been seeing are guys in the right places,” Knowles said during the team’s bye week. “And that’s my job: to make sure I put them in the right places. They have to make the plays. But I’m seeing so far that they’re learning, picking things up, getting to the right spots. So that’s how I evaluate myself.”
Penn State hired Knowles last winter after his successful tenure as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, during which time he won a national title in 2024.
Head coach James Franklin labeled him “arguably the best defensive coordinator in college football” and hired him for nights like Sept. 27, when No. 2 Penn State hosts No. 6 Oregon in a primetime White Out.
So far, Penn State’s starters have yet to allow a touchdown. The defense has yielded just 17 points across three non-conference games, with both touchdowns surrendered in garbage time against second-stringers.
Functionally, the Nittany Lions have given up only one field goal, to Nevada in the opener. Nationally, Penn State sits third in scoring defense at 5.7 points per game and ranks fifth in yards per play allowed at 3.59.
Knowles pushes for improvement ahead of Oregon clash
The group is fourth in tackles for loss with 29 and tied for sixth in turnovers gained with seven, including interceptions from defensive tackles Alonzo Ford Jr. and Zane Durant.
Yet Knowles is not satisfied. Penn State is tied for 59th in third-down defense and tied for 94th in fourth-down conversions allowed, with opponents going 4-for-6.
“Our areas of improvement really need to come in third and fourth down,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve done well enough in those areas, and those become extremely important in close ballgames. So there’s a real push for that during this bye week.”
Franklin has praised the early results but wants the unit to play faster in Knowles’ NFL-style scheme. The coordinator agreed that the true measure will come against Oregon.
“Every situation is different, right? And you truly don’t know until you face the top-level competition,” Knowles said.
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