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Tennessee is expected to hire Jim Knowles as its next defensive coordinator following the firing of Tim Banks earlier this week, Matt Zenitz reports. The move signals a major effort by coach Josh Heupel to re-establish defensive identity after a costly drop-off in performance in 2025.

Banks, who was dismissed Monday after five seasons in Knoxville, saw his defense collapse this fall. Once a unit that helped carry Tennessee into the College Football Playoff just a season ago, the Volunteers surrendered 28.8 points per game and allowed 395.5 yards on average -- both third-worst in the SEC.

Enter Knowles, who after spending 2025 at Penn State, will not be retained by incoming coach Matt Campbell.

Knowles' coaching résumé is among the most decorated for a defensive coordinator. Before Penn State, he spent three seasons as defensive coordinator at Ohio State -- including the 2024 national championship season, when his defense ranked No. 1 in the country in both scoring (12.9) and total defense (254.6).

Earlier stops at Oklahoma State (2018-2021) and Duke (2010-2017) likewise cemented his reputation as a sharp defensive strategist and solid developer of talent. 

What does it mean for Tennessee?

For Tennessee, the hire represents a clear acknowledgment that 2025's defensive collapse cannot be ignored. Bringing in a coordinator with championship-level pedigree and experience retooling defenses at multiple Power Four programs may be exactly what the Volunteers need to rebound. Especially with questions lingering over depth and scheme consistency after a turnover-heavy roster and porous secondary -- which ranked 115th in the FBS in passing yards allowed per game (248.8) -- derailed the season.

But the fit isn't guaranteed to be seamless, and Knowles inherits sizable challenges. Transitioning to his system typically requires an adjustment period, a trend reflected in the modest results during his first seasons at Oklahoma State and Ohio State before each defense made significant Year 2 leaps, followed by even sharper refinement and consistency in Year 3. 

His only previous SEC experience also came more than two decades ago as a linebackers coach at Ole Miss in 2003, adding another layer of adaptation as he steps back into the conference.

Tennessee will likely need to lean on the transfer portal and recruiting to fill holes, particularly in the secondary and along the interior of the defensive front. 

Why Knowles' adaptability matters for Tennessee

One of the more revealing parts of Knowles' career arc is how flexible he has been when circumstances demand it. Across multiple stops, his defenses have reflected not just his own schematic preferences but the realities of the roster in front of him. At Ohio State, that meant shelving some of the three-man front structures and hybrid packages that became staples of his work at Oklahoma State and Duke. The Buckeyes' established four-down philosophy -- and the presence of veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson deeply rooted in that approach -- forced Knowles to build a top-ranked unit through a different lens. He created a defense that remained aggressive while fitting the strengths of a deep, traditional Big Ten front.

But that flexibility has limits. Knowles left Ohio State after a national championship season in part because expanded oversight from Ryan Day narrowed his ability to independently shape the defense. For a coach known for disappearing into the film room and emerging with intricate game plans tailored to matchups and personnel, that autonomy matters. 

Tennessee could be betting that giving Knowles space -- and players suited to his toolbox -- will unlock the creativity and week-to-week adaptability that have defined his best work.