The Tennessee Volunteers have gotten rid of their defensive coordinator following a disappointing 2025 campaign, and they appear to have a big replacement lined up for him.
On Monday, we learned that the Vols had fired Tim Banks as their defensive coordinator. On Wednesday, we learned that Jim Knowles could replace him.
Knowles is reportedly discussing a contract buyout with Penn State from his role as their defensive coordinator. ESPN’s Pete Thamel says Knowles is expected to end up as Tennessee’s new defensive coordinator.
This would be a big turn of events. Recall that Knowles had helped Ohio State win the national championship last season by coordinating the top defense in the country. He was upset with the lack of commitment he felt from the Buckeyes, and left them to join the Nittany Lions. But Penn State fired James Franklin mid-season and replaced him with Matt Campbell, who is not retaining Knowles. That makes Knowles available, and the Vols are reportedly pouncing on him.
Penn State went 6-6 this season and was ranked No. 37 out of 136 teams in both points scored and points allowed per game. Tennessee went 8-4 in the regular season. While their offense ranked 7th with 40.8 points scored per game, their defense was ranked 92nd out of 136 teams. Knowles could be exactly what they need to improve in 2026.
