Forget a market reset.
Jim Knowles just established a new marketplace.
The renowned defensive coordinator led Ohio State to the 2024 College Football Playoff Championship, had a salary around $2 million and also bonus incentives.
Now, Knowles has garnered a multi-year contract with would-be Ohio State rival, Penn State and James Franklin that's worth more than $3 million annually.
But what's the line of demarcation? Who's worth the $2 million plateau?
Al Golden is gone from Notre Dame, where he had a four-year pact worth more than $2 million annually because not only were his defenses excellent but also Golden had head coaching experience and served as Marcus Freeman's defensive head coach.
Pete Golding was in a similar spot at Ole Miss, where Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. orchestrated the offense and Golding engineered the defense that embarrassed Georgia and helped the Rebels post another season of double-digit wins.
Is Bryant Haines the next Knowles/Golden/Golding/Glenn Schumann? Do Ryan Day and Ohio State turn to the NFL, where there's at least two potential Buckeyes candidates to discuss?
Dive in to the discussion below This might become a mini-podcast series for Team FootballScoop. Or, better yet, have an idea for one of our upcoming FootballScoop Podcasts? Shoot us an email (mail@footballscoop.com) or message us on X.
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