Ryan Day gets brutally honest about his relationship with Jim Knowles ahead of Ohio State hosting Penn State
The Ohio State Buckeyes’ matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday isn’t the game it was once expected to be. Penn State has four losses and isn’t the same team that opened the season ranked No. 2 in the country. Still, it’s another must-win game for the Buckeyes as they continue pursuing their […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes’ matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday isn’t the game it was once expected to be. Penn State has four losses and isn’t the same team that opened the season ranked No. 2 in the country.
Still, it’s another must-win game for the Buckeyes as they continue pursuing their goal of winning a Big Ten championship. Just one loss could wipe out their chance of playing in Indianapolis, likely against the Indiana Hoosiers. Ohio State’s game against Penn State will also mark the first time the Buckeyes face former OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Ryan Day reveals where things stand with Jim Knowles
“Like any relationship, when it breaks off, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad,” coach Day said on Tuesday. “But there really hasn’t been much communication. He did a great job when he was here, helped us win a national championship, and kind of left it at that. And then it was, ‘Hey, we got to go make a replacement,’ and move on from there. So yeah, that’s kind of how it is. It was abrupt, but we certainly respect the work that he did when he was here.”
Everyone knows that the way things ended between Ohio State and Knowles wasn’t ideal. Ohio State asked Knowles not to attend the national championship parade in Columbus after learning he was in talks with Penn State about becoming their defensive coordinator. This came shortly after Knowles approached Ohio State about a raise during the College Football Playoff run — something that didn’t sit well with Day, given the timing. The Buckeyes were in the middle of a title push, and that wasn’t the right moment for contract discussions.
Things couldn’t have worked out better for Ohio State in bringing in Matt Patricia as Knowles’ replacement. Patricia has connected well with the players and established a bond that wasn’t as evident under Knowles. That said, Knowles still did plenty of good for the Buckeyes, and Day acknowledged that in his comments. The move to Penn State hasn’t gone smoothly for Knowles, as James Franklin has been fired and the Nittany Lions sit with four losses. Penn State currently has the nation’s 29th-ranked scoring defense, allowing 19.4 points per game, and Ohio State should be expected to find plenty of success against them on Saturday.
Ohio State Buckeyes News
Ryan Day addresses the Ohio State Buckeyes going up against Jim Knowles in his return to Columbus with Penn State
The Buckeyes will be going up against their former defensive coordinator.
