Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs gave his reaction on Monday to the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who left for Penn State.

Ryan Day is once again dealing with the consequences of success in college football after leading Ohio State to a national championship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles agreed to a deal to serve the same position at Penn State. The Nittany Lions hired Knowles on Monday to replace Tom Allen, who left to take the same job with Clemson after Penn State fell to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Knowles would fill the void on Penn State’s staff left by Tom Allen, who accepted the same position with Clemson earlier this month.

The Ohio State Buckeyes capped off a great season with a historic College Football Playoff National Championship win, but defensive coordinator Jim Knowles found himself elsewhere for the celebration.

However, Knowles wasn’t in attendance. About an hour later, reports surfaced that Knowles is leaving Ohio State to serve as Penn State’s next defensive coordinator. The move leaves Day searching for a replacement. Here’s who he might consider as he enters his seventh season as the Buckeyes' head coach.

Penn State has lured Tom Knowles away from Ohio State. The Nittany Lions have hired Knowles to serve as their defensive coordinator.

Ohio State DC Jim Knowles is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at Penn State, sources tell @YahooSports. The two sides are in the process of finalizing an agreement. Big hire for James Franklin.

Jim Knowles is expected to take the same position at Penn State, as first reported by Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger. The two sides are finalizing a three-year deal reportedly worth $3.1 million per season, making him the first college football coordinator to earn an annual salary of at least $3 million.

After Michigan football ran, ran again, and ran some more against rival Ohio State in 2021, Ryan Day recognized that he needed to make something of a drastic change. Out was longtime OSU staffer Kerry Coombs as the defensive coordinator, and in was Oklahoma State DC Jim Knowles.

Here are three potential options who could fill the Ohio State Buckeyes' defensive coordinator vacancy in 2025.