Ohio State fans are focusing their hatred on a new enemy Tuesday (not Michigan) after ESPN revealed more details about the departure of former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State this offseason.
In an interview with ESPN’s Heather Dinich, there are some interesting revelations about the abrupt departure of Knowles just days after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame to win the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Instead of celebrating the national title, Knowles was dialing James Franklin, the head coach of Ohio State’s rival, at 5:06 a.m. two days after the win over the Fighting Irish.
Franklin told ESPN he didn’t know “how serious” it was.
Knowles was deadly serious. Ohio State didn’t give him a new deal after the season, or before the Notre Dame game, as he wanted.
So Knowles, a Pennsylvania native, acted with his own best interest in mind. After the call to Franklin, Knowles eventually signed a $3.1 million deal to leave Ohio State for a program it has dominated.
The Nittany Lions are 1-10 against Ohio State under Franklin. They haven’t beaten the Buckeyes since 2016.
Knowles is part of the reason why. His defenses have limited Penn State to a combined 25 points the past two seasons. That’s also what makes his departure so personal for Ohio State fans.
Ohio’s Tate, a Barstool personality, summed up the mood of Buckeye Nation pretty well with a post on X:
