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Josh Heupel knew he needed to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball for the 2026 season. As a result, he fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks and replaced him with well-respected and national champion defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
While Tennessee football makes the transition to Knowles’ system, one thing you commonly hear is how tough it is to pick up. The numbers support it, too. It’s often the case that his second and third years at programs are when his defenses become elite, while they can run into struggles in year one.
What does Knowles think about that notion, though? He’s heard it and is doing whatever it takes to make this adjustment as easy as possible.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that. Not that I read those things, but people tell me that,” Knowles said in an appearance on ‘The Mike Keith Show‘. “So I think they’d go back and we’re working on that now. Every new opportunity that you have to install it, you got to find better ways. So I think part of being a great coach is being adjustable and adaptable and listening.
“A lot of guys get stuck in their ways. So if that’s what some players may have said, I have to take that into account. And we’re looking at ways to simplify things early on so we can make more progress quickly. Now, one of the things is having coaches who have been with me, which I haven’t had in the past, so that always takes time. And having some players that have been with me too. So I think we’ll be way ahead on both of those counts.”
More From RTI: Adding Penn State Transfers ‘A Big Plus’ For New Tennessee DC Jim Knowles
Not only does Knowles have multiple coaches from previous stops with him, including co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, LEOs coach Andrew Jackson and cornerbacks coach Michael Hunter Jr., but he also has a handful of players who have played under him.
This portal cycle, Knowles brought in four Penn State transfers who were in his defense last year. This featured edge rusher Chaz Coleman, linebacker Amare Campbell, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam and safety Dejuan Lane.
“It’s a big plus because they spent a year learning not only the system, but how I operate and my expectations,” Knowles said on the quartet. “And they’ll be able to filter it down to the other guys. And I also know I’ve been hands-on with those guys, so I understand what they can do and where they need to get better.”
Tennessee just started its off-season workouts last Wednesday. In a few months, it’ll be on the practice field for spring ball, as well, when a lot of the installation of Knowles’ defense will be put into full effect.