Expectations were already sky-high for Jim Knowles to produce a major defensive turnaround entering his first season at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator inherited a unit that finished 59th in total defense (372.6 YPG), 38th in scoring defense (22.8 PPG), 96th in passing defense (245.8 YPG) and 26th in rush defense (126.8 YPG). Not all those numbers were dreadful, but none represented a truly elite unit. Ohio State also gave up a whopping 77 combined points in the two regular-season losses that kept it out of College Football Playoff contention in 2021.
After nearly overhauling the entire defensive coaching staff in the offseason, Ryan Day made it clear that the Buckeyes were aiming for a top-10 defense under Knowles’ leadership in 2022.