Defensive Coordinator | Linebacker Coach Jim Knowles

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is having some fun with us, playing coy about whether he coaches from the sideline or press box vs Notre Dame.
But the question of how a new defensive staff will communicate and analyze in-game is not academic. https://t.co/SWsE1Reb36

— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) August 30, 2022

 

Jim Knowles just might be the difference between @OhioStateFB winning the @bigten and winning it all. https://t.co/ms1IPR625l

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) August 30, 2022

 

"Playing fast, playing violent" in the preseason, Ryan Day and Jim Knowles believe the revamped Ohio State defense is "100% ready" for its grand unveiling against Notre Dame. https://t.co/JHDghxqWOs

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 2, 2022

 

How much pressure does everyone think he is feeling tonight?

 

Ohio State's Jim Knowles had similar thoughts when starting at Oklahoma State https://t.co/og1YnfKYyh

— BuckeyeXtra.com (@BuckeyeXtra) September 2, 2022

 

JIM KNOWLES

• "What I'm most pleased with is the fact that they never flinched." Knowles says one or two missed plays "didn't affect them at all."
• On Ransom's performance, Knowles says "we saw that from him all camp." Knowles says "Lathan seemed hot" and "seemed game-ready" that's why he played a lot more than Josh Proctor on Saturday.
• "I think our run defense was stout, really controlled the line of scrimmage." Knowles says he's "really pleased" with the Buckeye D-line, linebackers and safeties.
• Knowles says the Buckeye players will celebrate this win, but "I won't really." Knowle says "our players expected this, I expected this."
• On the defensive performance overall: "I'm not surprised, we expected it."
• Knowles says the Buckeyes didn't do much with the Jack position tonight, although it was effective when they did utilize it.
• "I think they definitely displayed toughness."
• On Mike Hall, Knowles says "he's just been totally disruptive during camp and we get feedback from our offensive linemen, they'll tell you how difficult he is."

 

JIM KNOWLES
ON THE DEFENSE AGAINST NOTRE DAME

• “I thought they played fast.”
• “They didn’t worry about making mistakes.”
• “If they get something wrong, that’s on me. I think that helps them play fast.”
• “They never flinched, and I thought that was great.”

ON HOW HIS DEFENSE IS ABLE TO PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL

• “I think the strength of our defense is up front.”
• “The safeties give people problems.”
• “We have some multiplicity in the defense.”

ON ARKANSAS STATE QUARTERBACK JAMES BLACKMAN

• “He’s a guy that has some big-time experience in some great environments. We’re gonna have to pressure him and make sure he feels that pressure.”
• “You don’t want to give him any easy throws or easy looks. You have to make them earn everything they get.”

ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN OHIO STADIUM AGAINST NOTRE DAME

• “Having a defense that everyone can rely on in that kind of environment makes it hard in that environment.”
• “The players don’t flinch, the crowd doesn’t flinch… you can build it on that.”

ON COACHING FROM THE BOX

• “That’s a great view. That’s very high, and I can see everything.”
• Knowles said that he looked forward to being the box for the Notre Dame game. “We have such a quality group of coaches that I trust to be down there. I can be up there and see everything.”

 

Ohio State “was not at the level that we want our defense to be” against Toledo, and Jim Knowles says “that starts with me.” https://t.co/IhZ13xOXLa

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 21, 2022

 

JIM KNOWLES

• Says Kye Stokes "held his own" at safety after coming in for injured Tanner McCalister.
• Knowles says he's "disappointed" that the Buckeyes are ranked 11th in the country on third down. "We certainly have higher aspirations than that."
• On Kourt Williams: "Kourt has been banged up. He's had some things going on that hasn't given him the chance to fully compete for a position. ... He's not completely healthy, so we need to give him time to get better."
• "I'm pleased. We have seen some success, but defense is such a right-now proposition." Knowles says "we don't have three of four years to put this system in to make it a premiere defense. It's gotta happen right here, right now."
• "Stopping people on the next play is a habit. So when it comes time when you need to stop them, you can't just pull that out of your pocket."
• On a relative lack of sack production from the defensive ends: "I'm pleased with what we're doing up front. I think it's my job to continue to create opportunities."
• Knowles says the Buckeyes are "not there yet" in terms of what all he can do with the defensive scheme.
• Knowles says he has "great tools" at Ohio State, and wants to free their mind by telling them that their mistakes are more his fault than theirs. "I want them just to play when it comes to gameday."
• Knowles on how many cups of coffee he drinks a day: "Not that many. Six."
• Knowles jokes that Tommy Eichenberg sometimes just grunts at him rather than making verbal communication.
• Knowles says he "busted on Steele (Chambers)" after his lackluster INT return and said "no wonder they moved you from running back."
• On Denzel Burke, Knowles says he "showed a lot of grit" playing through his hand injury and earned the opportunity to play through some mistakes at corner.
• Knowles says "Mike (Hall) is "definitely one of the guys that brings the juice. ... That's part of a great defense, you need people like that."
• On Chambers: "He's a full linebacker. Steele is. I didn't know him when he was a running back, but Steele was in there. I've continued to see improvement, even through the season, in his tackling. He's really starting to pick up how to tackle at this level."
• Knowles says it's harder to teach an edge rusher to be an interior lineman than the other way around. Knowles says Zach Harrison's ability to do so is "great for him, great for his future, great for this defense."
• "To me, a great coach wants to be talented at teaching his position, a great listener and learner."