Tennessee’s defense was flat out rough in 2025, bottoming out as one of the SEC’s worst, giving up a brutal 28.8 points per game. That ranked them tied for 92nd nationally and dead last, 14th, in the conference. That’s a huge step back from 2024 when they were 7th nationally. So, to fix this mess, Tennessee went big, hiring Jim Knowles, one of the country’s top assistants, to be their new defensive coordinator. The thing is, head coach Josh Heupel is expecting a quick impact, but if you look at Knowles’ past, that’s a seriously bold take.
The Harsh Reality of History
Alright, let’s be real. Jim Knowles absolutely has a track record of building elite defenses. This guy won a national championship in 2024 with Ohio State, running the No. 1 scoring defense in the country. He knows how to get it done. But here’s the kicker: history shows it usually takes a year or two for his schemes to really click. We’re talking Duke in 2010, Oklahoma State, and then Penn State. At Duke, his defense jumped from 25.2 points allowed per game to 31.2 in his first year. At Oklahoma State, it went from 29.4 to 32.5. Penn State saw a similar slide, from 16.5 to 20.5 points allowed per game. The defense actually got worse in Year 1 at three of his four power-conference stops. The lone bright spot? Ohio State in 2022, where they trimmed points allowed from 22.8 to 21.0. Just once. You gotta wonder if that’s enough to bank on a fast turnaround in the SEC.
Why Heupel Thinks This Time Is Different
Despite that historical record, Heupel sounded confident at SEC Media Days. He pointed out that Knowles “made some jumps in Year 1,” even if he wasn’t immediately running a No. 1 defense. So, what’s different this time? Heupel believes it’s all about the staff. Usually, a new coordinator is limited in who they can bring in, forcing them to teach their entire scheme to a room full of position coaches who’ve never run it. That’s a “major hurdle,” as Heupel put it. But at Tennessee, they built Knowles a staff that “already speaks his language.” The hope is this setup lets Knowles hit the ground running, skipping that initial teaching phase and making an immediate dent in that 28.8 points per game nightmare from 2025.
Tennessee isn’t asking Knowles to build a championship defense overnight, no way. But after a seriously disappointing 2025 season defensively, they are absolutely counting on noticeable progress. They need it, and they need it fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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