Six candidates to replace Jim Knowles as Ohio State defensive coordinator
So, now, head coach Ryan Day will be tasked with finding a replacement during a time when there are a thousand other things going on, and when some candidates have already been gobbled up while the Buckeyes were finishing up a late run toward college football glory. It's anyone's guess where this thing will go, but we thought we'd throw out six names that might be on Day's wish list as he begins the search for a very, very important post on the coaching staff in Columbus.
Put an asterisk next to this thing and don't think it's a list that Day is utilizing himself, because, as we've seen, sometimes the hires come off the radar and even make a bigger splash than what we can think of. Remember, Bill O'Brien came out of nowhere, and so too did Chip Kelly when he was looking for an offensive coordinator.
Still, here are some names that make sense.
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Trio of Penn State players named to Maxwell Award watch list
With college football's conference media days in the rearview mirror and the start of the new season less than a month away, watch list season is in full bloom. With raised expectations for team success in 2025, Penn State is already being well-represented on some high-profile award watch lists this summer, including the Maxwell Award. This week saw three of Penn State's finest named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award by the Maxwell Football Club. The three players representing Penn State on the list are quarterback Drew Allar, and running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. All three offensive stars chose to return to Penn State this season to attend to some unfinished business. Allar, Singleton, and Allen give Penn State one of the top backfields in college football coming back this season and are a big reason why the Nittany Lions are being labeled a top preseason Big Ten and national championship contender. Singleton was named a preseason All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation for the 2025 season after a being an honorable mention All-Big Ten player on offense and special teams as a return specialist. Singleton will start the season as the nation's leading rusher returning this season with 2,912 career rushing yards and 32 career rushing touchdowns. Allen earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season despite playing in the same backfield and splitting playing time with Singleton. Allen has rushed for 2,877 yards in his career with 24 rushing touchdowns and an average of 5.1 yards per rushing attempt. Only Singleton has more career rushing yards among players returning in 2025 across the nation. Head coach James Franklin believes these two could end their careers taking over the top two spots in the Penn State rushing record book when all is said and done. Allar was a Davey O'Brien semifinalist last season after passing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushing for 302 yards and six touchdowns. He will enter the 2025 season ranked sixth in all-time in Penn State history wiht 6,302 career passing yards. Allar was an honorable mention All-BigTen player a season ago after leading the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship game and a run to the semifinal in the College Football Playoff. The Maxwell Award is presented to the nation's college football player of the year and has been awarded annually since 1937. The Heisman Trophy may be the most notable individual award in college football, but the Maxwell Award is a high honor as well. Penn State has had seven all-time winners of the Maxwell Award, tied with Notre Dame for the most. Penn State's previous winners are Richie Lucas (1959), Glenn Ressler (1964), Mike Reid (1969), John Cappelletti (1973), Chuck Fusina (1978), Kerry Collins (1994), and Larry Johnson (2002). Last year's winner of the Maxwell Award was Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The last Big Ten player to win the award was Penn State's Larry Johnson in 2002. Although it is worth recognizing that USC and Washington had back-to-back winners with Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. in 2002 and 2023, respectively, as members of the Pac-12. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Maxwell Award watch list includes these Penn State stars
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Top 25 Player Profile, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
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Zane Durant may be the preseason All-American this time, but everyone knows who will be the overwhelming leader on that side of the ball. Dennis-Sutton's high motor will give this defense the energy and intensity it needs sans Carter, and perhaps it won't even miss a beat. Another asset that Dennis-Sutton brings to the table as the new leader of the defense is his all-encompassing talents, not just as a pass-rusher, but making plays in the run game as well. While he may not be known for his explosiveness, his instincts more than make up for it. Look for Dennis-Sutton to maybe even eclipse some of his stats from last year. He really may just be a do-everything man for the Nittany Lions this year. But that might be just the way he wants it. 2025 will be a disappointment if... Dennis-Sutton looks lost without Carter, the defense lacks trust in his leadership abilities, and most importantly, it leads to failures in their championship aspirations. 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There will be many more situations where Durant is isolated in space and could be one of the first and last lines of defense. Thus, there are a number of opportunities that could see Durant have to be up to task. If he can't provide energy and efficiency stopping the run game, it could be a detriment to the whole squad and could lead to some shocking upset losses. It is critical that Durant is locked in, or else a potential strength for the Nittany Lions could become one of their biggest weaknesses. Realistic Outlook for 2025 I would not be surprised if Durant's stats jump even more off the page this season. In a role with a lot more freedom from the interior, look fro Durant to especially be the first line of defense in run support. Double digit TFLs yet again this year should be a solid goal to reach for Durant and he could easily get there. It's his draft stock that will be the most intriguing storyline of all. 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