KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers got their guy.
New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles brings championship experience to Rocky Top in tow with a slew of experience and professional connections.
After a disappointing defensive output from the Vols this season, Heupel saw the best available move on the board, and made it.
“His track record of success, building defenses that play at a championship level… in a way that fits the personnel that's there and that you can recruit to,” Heupel said on the appeal of Knowles.
“He was certainly the right choice for us and where we want to go”
Knowles, a Philadelphia native played four seasons (1983-1986) at defensive end for Cornell University before joining the staff in ‘88 the defensive line coach.
Over a decade and several position groups later, Knowles landed his first defensive coordinator job at Western Michigan where he commanded the 2002 Broncos to a top 30 national ranking in total defense.
After a brief stop at Ole Miss for the 2003 season, Knowles returned to his alma mater in the head coaching role, where he would stay for six years, compiling an overall record of 26-34.
Following his head coaching tenure at Cornell, Knowles was brought on as the new defensive coordinator for Duke in 2010, by former Tennessee offensive coordinator turned Blue Devils head coach, David Cutcliffe.
After a successful campaign with Duke which featured several bowl games and a 2013 ACC Championship game appearance, Knowles took the DC job at Oklahoma State where he stayed for four seasons before making the move to Ohio State as defensive coordinator under head coach Ryan Day.
As DC at Ohio State, Knowles coached a historic Buckeyes defense that led the nation in fewest points and total yards allowed per game over a three-year span, which saw a dominant national championship run in the 2024 season.
Knowles produced 10+ NFL players during his time at OSU.
Day praised Knowles' championship efforts after the team’s victory labelling the coach. "The defensive coordinator of the best defense in the country that was completely dominant in the playoff.”
In a shocking move, following a lengthy contract dispute, Knowles left Ohio State for Big Ten rival Penn State for the 2025 season, to serve as defensive coordinator under coach James Franklin.
“You have a chance to get a guy who’s been a head coach, who’s been a high-level defensive coordinator at multiple places, who you can make the argument has had the best defense in college football over the last two years… obviously it's a big get,” Franklin said after hiring Knowles.
After a disappointing lone season at Penn State, which featured the mid-season firing of Franklin, Knowles accepted the Tennessee job.
Providing 38 years of experience (18 as a DC), Knowles comes into Rocky Top as an overqualified candidate with championship pedigree who Vols fans should get excited about.