Tennessee Brings in Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles to Overhaul Unit

Knowles has a history of rebuilding defenses, but will need to quickly get Tennessee's players up to speed on his new system.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Tennessee has hired veteran defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to rebuild their defense after a disappointing 2025 season. Knowles, who has had success at previous stops like Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Penn State, will be installing a completely new defensive system in Knoxville. While he has a track record of taking a year or two to get his defenses playing at a high level, Knowles will have the advantage of some familiarity with the coaching staff and a few key transfers who have experience in his system.

Why it matters

Tennessee's defense struggled mightily in 2025, finishing as one of the worst units in the SEC. Hiring Knowles, who is regarded as one of the top defensive coordinators in the country, is a clear sign that the program is prioritizing fixing the defense and getting back to being a contender in the conference. Knowles' ability to quickly get the players up to speed on his new system will be crucial to Tennessee's hopes of bouncing back on that side of the ball in 2026.

The details

Knowles will be installing a completely new defensive system at Tennessee, which means new language, responsibilities, and a new voice for the players. However, he does have some advantages - he was able to bring in some of his own assistants, including keeping Rodney Garner and William Inge on staff. Additionally, Tennessee added several key transfers who have experience in Knowles' system, including edge rusher Chaz Coleman, interior lineman Xavier Gilliam, linebacker Amare Campbell, and safety Dejaun Lane. Knowles plans to throw a lot at the players early to see what they can handle, then scale it back and build the defense back up step-by-step based on the strengths and weaknesses of the roster.

  • Tennessee's spring football practices will begin in a little under a month.
  • Knowles was previously the defensive coordinator at Penn State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Duke.

The players

Jim Knowles

A veteran defensive coordinator who has been regarded as one of the top in the nation in recent years, thanks to his work at Duke, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Penn State.

Chaz Coleman

A 6-4, 246 pound edge rusher who transferred to Tennessee from Penn State, where he worked with Knowles last year. Knowles describes Coleman as "explosive" and "difficult to block".

Xavier Gilliam

A transfer from Penn State who has experience in Knowles' defensive system, joining Tennessee on the interior of the defensive line.

Amare Campbell

A linebacker transfer from Penn State who also has familiarity with Knowles' scheme, joining the Tennessee defense.

Dejaun Lane

A safety transfer from Penn State who will bring experience in Knowles' system to the Tennessee secondary.

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What they’re saying

“He's explosive. He's difficult to block. He has a little bit of an invisible cloak, you where he can twist, turn, beat guys one-on-one. He has great initial quickness off the ball. So he's a guy that can create havoc for an offense and really creates a matchup issue.”

— Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator (yahoo.com)

“We can go faster than other situations that I've been in because of the fact, like you said, that we have a lot of coaches who have worked with me before. So that's a huge advantage. So definitely faster than other places. And we have a few players, which is really kind of crazy in this day and age, that you have a few players that have been in this system, really at all levels of the defense.”

— Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator (yahoo.com)

What’s next

Tennessee will begin spring football practices in a little under a month, giving Knowles and his staff their first chance to install the new defensive system and get the players up to speed.

The takeaway

Knowles has a proven track record of rebuilding defenses, but the quick turnaround at Tennessee will be a significant challenge. The addition of several key transfers with experience in his system should help, but Knowles will still need to get the rest of the roster fully acclimated to his new scheme in a short timeframe if the Volunteers want to bounce back on defense in 2026.