How Worried Should Oklahoma State Be on Jim Knowles?

STILLWATER – Okay, time for panic season as the college football coaching carousel is seen a shift into overdrive. Fortunately for Oklahoma State there is no need to worry about your head coach. Mike Gundy, no doubt even more with the 37-33 win over Bedlam rival Oklahoma last night, is in a very good place loving his new President Dr. Kayse Shrum and athletic director Chad Weiberg and his new contract for the future and promise of support. Gundy feels good and has steered the attention recently to making sure his assistant coaches like defensive coordinator Jim Knowles get taken care of with new contracts.

Now, there are reports out of Florida from (wink, wink) informed sources that new head coach Billy Napier still looking to ace the press conference has eyes to hire Knowles to join him with the Gators. I’m sure Knowles will be on a lot of short lists. By the way, Knowles and Napier crossed paths as opponents in 201 when Napier was the offensive coordinator at Clemson and Knowles was in his first season at Duke, but Knowles said he is not familiar with Napier on a personal basis. A reliable source out of Norman, Okla. told me that Lincoln Riley likes the idea of having Knowles on his future staff and that appears to be at Southern Cal.

Related: Mike Gundy addresses long-term contract for Jim Knowles

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Jim Knowles likes it in Stillwater.

The truth is Knowles is an “old school” coach with strong values and his defense is at the center of Oklahoma State’s run to the Big 12 Championship this coming Saturday against Baylor in Arlington, Texas. A win there and Knowles’ defense will be a major reason Oklahoma State will be in the College Football Playoff. Knowles, who has developed deep relationships with his players many have been with him since he arrived, will want to see what is out there to achieve through till the end.

If as these reports imply, Napier is looking for a staff to come together and help with the Early Signing Day recruiting haul then Knowles unavailability could be an issue.

The most important aspect of all this is that since Gundy has steered Weiberg and the administration to that aim, there has been talks of new deals. One source told me that Knowles is likely to become the highest paid coordinator in the Big 12 outside of the two schools scheduled to leave the conference in Oklahoma and Texas. My source tells me that Knowles deal could be worth in the neighborhood of $1.2 million to stay at Oklahoma State. He currently makes $800,000 annually.