The Ohio State Buckeyes received tough news on Sunday as defensive coordinator Jim Knowles officially departed Columbus to join the Penn State Nittany Lions as their new DC.
This loss stings doubly for the national champion Buckeyes—not only are they losing a top-tier defensive coordinator, but they’re losing him to a fierce Big Ten rival in Penn State.
In response, Ohio State is now targeting another Big Ten program to fill the void left by Knowles.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Oregon Ducks co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach
has emerged as a leading candidate for the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator vacancy.
Hampton, who has spent two seasons with Oregon, garnered significant interest last offseason from schools in the ACC and SEC for DC roles, though he ultimately declined. Now, the defending national champions are reportedly making a strong push for him.
Under Hampton’s leadership, Oregon’s defense ranked 15th nationally, allowing just 315.9 yards per game—one of the program’s best defensive performances in history.
If Ohio State manages to lure Hampton to Columbus, it would mark the second consecutive year they’ve recruited a coach from Oregon. Last year, the Buckeyes brought in Ducks running backs coach Carlos Locklyn after Tony Alford left Ohio State for Michigan.
While Hampton appears to be a top contender, Ohio State is also considering other candidates, including Iowa DC Phil Parker, Arkansas DC Travis Williams, and Buckeyes safeties coach Matt Guerrieri.
With Knowles’ departure now official, Ohio State’s search for a new defensive coordinator is expected to continue in the coming days.
