Last offseason, Ohio State made key transfer portal acquisitions, paid big to retain its 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 its 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.