Jim Knowles

DC/LB, Oklahoma State With more than 30 years of college coaching experience, Jim Knowles joined the Oklahoma State coaching staff as defensive coordinator in January of 2018. • Knowles came to Stillwater after an eight-year run at Duke, where he was an integral part in leading the Blue Devils to five bowl appearances in his last six years – a feat that had never previously been achieved at Duke. He was elevated to the role of assistant head coach immediately following the 2017 season. • In each of his two years at Oklahoma State, a Cowboy defender has earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition, with defensive end Jordan Brailford being recognized in 2018 and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel in 2019. • The Oklahoma State defense showed significant improvement from year one to year two of his tenure as coordinator. In 2018, the Cowboys allowed an average of 32.5 points and 452.5 yards per game, but in 2019, those numbers improved to 26.8 points per game and 412.3 yards per game. The Cowboys of 2019 held each of their final six opponents below their season scoring average. • Knowles led the way for the 2019 OSU defense to become the first in school history to hold four straight Big 12 opponents to fewer than 28 points in the same season.