COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football’s national title defense will come with a new face running the defense. The Buckeyes are losing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. After three seasons in Columbus, he’s leaving to serve as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.

Ohio State has made Jim Knowles a contract extension offer that would make him the highest-paid defensive coordinator.

Guerrieri represents the continuity option. He's a Knowles guy through and through, initially coming with him to Ohio State as a senior analyst back in 2022. After a year apart at Indiana in 2023, Knowles missed him so much that he convinced Day to bring him back to Columbus, where he spent this past season as safeties coach.

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

Ohio State, the first team to run the gauntlet of four playoff games on its way to the national title, celebrated with 30,000 Buckeyes fans on Sunday at Ohio Stadium.

A month of amazing memories for the Ohio State football team and its fans culminates on Sunday afternoon with a celebration. Fans came together Sunday for a rally in the stands and on the field to celebrate the Buckeyes’ national championship.

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day will appear on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' Monday, along with Shailene Woodley and Martha Stewart

Ohio State football is returning to its home stadium Sunday for a championship celebration. Here's what you need to know about the event.

About 30,000 fans were at Ohio Stadium Sunday to celebrate the Buckeyes’ ninth national championship. Among the many faces in that crowd were the families of

Day said, somehow, Smith can get better with Ohio State planning his development once he returns to the field following his freshman year.

The increased spending included severance payments of more than $9 million, including the buyout of former men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann. Ohio State also spent nearly $7 million more in salaries in bonuses to Day and 10 primary assistants than the previous year.