‘We could really get Jim?’: Jim Knowles, Anthony Poindexter and Penn State’s sizzling start to the offseason

OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was hired by Penn State in a surprise move on Sunday. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Last offseason, Ohio State made key transfer portal acquisitions, paid big to retain their best players and spent millions on a splashy coordinator hire.

This offseason, it’s Penn State’s turn.

In the latest offseason move, Penn State hired away Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to make him the highest-paid coordinator in college football history — a guaranteed three-year contract worth more than $9 million that resets the market for college assistants. Knowles’ hire follows the retention of top talent as the school uses revenue-sharing funds to lure their best players away from the NFL, including quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley.

But there’s more acquisition news in Happy Valley: Anthony Poindexter, the program’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, is expected to remain on staff by signing a new multi-year contract with an increased salary — a deal that’s resulted in him turning down interest from power conference schools in their coordinator openings, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

In fact, behind Knowles’ move from Columbus to State College — one of the most stunning coordinator swings in recent industry history — is Poindexter, the 48-year-old former Virginia defensive back who won a Super Bowl as a player with the Ravens and has helped steer one of the nation’s best defensive units since joining James Franklin’s staff in 2021.

Penn State co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter chose to stay on staff after the hiring of Ohio State’s Jim Knowles. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Poindexter was in line for a promotion to the full-time…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/we-could-really-get-jim-jim-knowles-anthony-poindexter-and-penn-states-sizzling-start-to-the-offseason-215616118.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-26 21:56:00

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