Jim Knowles salary: How much does the Ohio State DC earn with the Buckeyes?

Jim Knowles left Oklahoma State after coaching their final game against Notre Dame on Jan. 1, 2022. And he joined as the defensive coordinator for Ohio State Buckeyes the next day.

Knowles earned over $1 million in 2022 and got a 3% raise to $1.96 million last year. He has a three-year contract with Ohio State that pays him $1.957 million annually. This makes him the third-highest-paid assistant coach in the country. This information was shared by USA Today.

Ohio State's previous defensive coordinator, Kerry Coombs, and offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson, each made $1.4 million annually.

Buckeyes DC Jim Knowles' salary climbs beyond $1.9 million with potential bonuses

BuckeyeSports reports that Jim Knowles could earn up to $726,750 in bonuses. He gets $161,500 for winning the Big Ten East and $80,750 for the Big Ten Championship.

The Buckeyes defensive coordinator also gets $323,000 for playing in a CFP bowl game or $80,750 for a non-CFP bowl game with nine wins.

If Knowles reaches the CFP semifinal, he gets $403,750. And if he reaches the final, he gets $484,500. He only gets one of these CFP bonuses. He also earns a one-time bonus of $138,850 for signing.

Jim Knowles boasts decades of experience coaching college football

Knowles is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ohio State University. He played as a defensive end for the Big Red football team at Cornell University. He graduated with a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations in 1987.

His coaching journey began at Cornell, where he served as an assistant coach in various capacities. From 2004 to 2009, Knowles took on the role of head football coach at Cornell University, compiling a 26–34 record during his tenure.

In 2010, he joined Duke University as their defensive coordinator and later continued in that position with Oklahoma State University from 2018 to 2021.

Known for his statistical improvements in defense, Knowles now contributes his expertise to the Ohio State Buckeyes.