Remember how Ohio State beat Notre Dame and snagged its first 12-team College Football Playoff title on January 20? Well, just two days after that, Penn State’s James Franklin received a call at 5:40 a.m. with the news that Jim Knowles’ coming to Penn State “may be real,” and seven days after the win, Knowles was a Nittany Lion.
Yes, the deal was done quickly, yet it was a tedious process. “It’s kind of a twisting and a winding deal. There’s guys that you think you may be able to get and you can’t,” Franklin said in February, while also stating how they tried to gauge mutual interest and narrow down their list but in the end, the HC didn’t need the confirmation of other Penn State assistant coaches to hire Knowles. Everyone had seen what he achieved with Ohio State, and so, Knowles was welcomed with a three-year deal that will average $3.1 million per season.
With this contract, the DC also conquered a lifelong dream. In February, he shared, “Penn State for me, growing up in inner city Philly, was the epitome of college football. I was never talented enough to make it to Penn State as a player. But given the opportunity to do it now as a coach, it’s really where I want to be.” Turns out that Franklin’s $3.1 million gamble is paying off. After all, the HC is satisfied with his new hire.
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