Maybe it was mostly about showing him the money, but if Jim Knowles loved working at Ohio State, leaving for Penn State was a funny way of showing it.

Knowles, a Philadelphia native with strong ties to the Northeast, transformed the Buckeyes' defense during an impressive three-year stint. Ohio State ranked top three in total defense each of the past two seasons and led the nation by holding opponents to 254.6 yards per game and 4.2 yards per play during a historic campaign.

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