"Will not be missed": Ohio State fans livid at Jim Knowles' exit revelation

Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was one of a host of coaches who departed Ohio State after the Buckeyes won the national championship in January. Knowles took the Nittany Lions' defensive coordinator's job to replace the departing Tom Allen who took the same role with the Clemson Tigers.

A report by ESPN emerged on Tuesday revealing that it was Knowles who reached out to Penn State coach James Franklin to ask about the vacant Nittany Lions' defensive coordinator's job.

Ohio State fans reacted to the manner in which Jim Knowles exited the Buckeyes setup just two days after helping the team to win the national championship. Knowles was replaced by three-time Super Bowl-winning coach, Matt Patricia.

Some fans believed that it was for the best that Knowles departed the program.

"Will not be missed," one fan tweeted.

"Hey Jimmy…You are replaceable!!!," another fan tweeted.

"Not to be mean, but objectively glad he is gone. That isn't how an adult behaves," one fan tweeted.

Jim Knowles reveals why he left Ohio State

During an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Jim Knowles revealed that he left Ohio State because he was not given a contract offer before the Buckeyes' national championship game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

He further revealed that he was not even invited to Ohio State's national title celebrations prompting him to call Penn State coach James Franklin and interview for the departed Tom Allen's defensive coordinator's job.

"I did not want to put anyone, including myself, in a position to have to deal with it immediately following the national championship game," he said.

"And that's the way it happened. Season's over, everything coming to a head again quickly. Ohio State hasn't come forward with a deal, and it's like, 'OK, if I'm going to act on this or at least explore it, I have got to make the call.'"

He added:

"I was asked not to go to the parade, and I respect that. I'm not trying to be a secretive guy. Here's this offer, there were a couple others that were every bit as much money, and then there was Ohio State's offer, which was still great money, but not as much, so then you have to sit with it."

In an interview with ESPN, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin revealed how Knowles got the job after unexpectedly calling him on Jan. 22.

"To be honest with you," Franklin said, "I didn't know how serious it was, but it went pretty quickly from that point on."

While the national championship-winning Buckeyes romped through the College Football Playoff due to their potent offense under former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, Ohio State's defense under Jim Knowles was one of the best in the country.

Last season, the Buckeyes defense was No. 1 in yards allowed per game (255), points allowed per game (12.9) and red zone touchdown percentage (42%).