On Monday morning, Jim Knowles was officially named the next defensive coordinator of the Penn State Nittany Lions, signing a three-year deal worth over $9 million, making him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country.
After arriving in Happy Valley later in the day on Monday, Knowles had an opportunity to introduce himself to the Nittany Lions' football team. On hand for that meeting was Penn State's social media team who offered a glimpse into Knowels' first meeting.
"We had like three channels on TV and you got up on Sunday morning and watched the Penn State highlights," Knowles said in the video. "Because I grew up in Philly, the real Philly for you suburb guys," he said with a smile, throwing a small jab at the Nittany Lions who come from the Philadelphia suburbs. "I mean the one where you take the subway to school every day."
After the harmless jab, came the crux of what Knowles wanted to convey to his new program. Penn State is where he wants to be.
"Penn State was everything. It was everything," he said referring to his time growing up in Philly. "That's what we aspired to be and i couldn't get there as a player but through a lot of work, a lot of time, and a lot of really good players, that allowed me to reach that point in my career where I could pick wherever I really wanted to be," he explained. 'And growing up as a kid, Penn State was everything and this is where I want to be."
Knowles will take over a Penn State defense that ranked eighth in the country in 2024, allowing 16.5 points and 294.8 yards per game. The Nittany Lions will take the field for the 2025 season on August 30 against the Nevada Wolf Pack.
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