By Chris Buchignani
Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft has thrown down the gauntlet.
The last of the confetti had barely been swept from the turf of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium following Ohio State’s 2024 national title when a key cog of that winning machine had bolted for the Buckeyes’ conference rivals.
Jim Knowles, architect of OSU’s championship defense, spurned offers to remain in Columbus or depart for Oklahoma to instead become the new defensive coordinator at Penn State. A Pennsylvania native, Knowles was surely enticed by the promise of a new challenge and an opportunity to “come home,” but money talks; the bottom line that secured James Franklin his choice of top assistants was a record-breaking contract that will reportedly pay Knowles more than $3 million annually.
For reference purposes, the deal makes him the highest-paid coordinator at the college level, and only three NFL coordinators made more than $3 million in 2024. The Knowles deal is a splash move for a Kraft-led Athletic Department that has already committed to a $700 million major renovation of Beaver Stadium. It speaks to how the current stewards of one of college football’s historic brands are aggressively tackling the changing times.
Among long-time fans of the sport, college football in its current state is barely recognizable compared to the traditional product they enjoyed as recently as 2019, when the final pre-COVID season played out rather like those of decades prior. On the other side of the pandemic’s one-year vacation from reality, July of 2021 sounded a death knell for the college game as it had existed since the mid-20th century. That’s when rule changes went into effect allowing college athletes to, for the first time, directly monetize rights to their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Paired with unprecedented mobility that has only been strengthened by the courts in recent years via the “transfer portal,” NIL has, in less than five years, wrought a wholly new landscape where the top talent is always for sale. This year, the champion Buckeyes’ roster carried an estimated price tag north of $20 million – a far cry from the recent past when the NCAA militantly policed the amount of free cream cheese athletes got for their morning bagels.
If college football’s unfolding transformation, with free agent players selling their services to the highest bidder, rankles the sensibilities of the average fan, then the dysphoria is amplified exponentially here in Happy Valley. For Penn State fans who prided themselves on rooting for one of college football’s cleanest (let’s say “least dirty”) programs, the idea of shelling out big bucks to the best players has been a hard sell. The transition from unseemly cheating to necessary cost of doing business was jarring. Administrators used to enjoying champagne results on a beer budget experienced intense sticker shock. Yet these changes have forced a reckoning, and with this extraordinary outlay to Jim Knowles, Penn State’s leadership has fully committed to paying the price of admission to college football’s VIP class, no matter the cost.
“Penn State’s leadership has fully committed to paying the price of admission to college football’s VIP class, no matter the cost.”
Landing the most respected and coveted defensive mind in the sport should pay immediate dividends on the field for a Penn State program projected to rank in the preseason top five, not to mention the gamesmanship of spiriting away a key asset from your most daunting foe. But the investment necessary to close the deal made its own strong statement about a shifting institutional philosophy and the current administration’s vision for the University’s future, one that will resonate well beyond the halls of Old State and across the entire region.
Amidst a backdrop of budgetary constraints and strategic pivots, Penn State University faces a complex matrix of challenges and opportunities as it navigates the uncertain terrain of federal funding shifts, campus dynamics, and economic pressures.
Penn State, like many major universities, relies heavily on federal funding, with a significant portion of its budget dedicated to research initiatives funded by agencies like the NIH. However, recent political developments have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the continuity of this funding. As the administration gears up for potential budget cuts, the University leadership is caught in a delicate balance of fiscal prudence and strategic foresight.
“As the administration gears up for potential budget cuts, the University leadership is caught in a delicate balance of fiscal prudence and strategic foresight.”
The potential closure of several Commonwealth campuses further complicates the financial outlook. These campuses, while expensive to maintain, serve as crucial educational outposts, offering access to higher education across the state. Their closure could streamline expenses but might also shrink the University’s reach and impact on regional education, not to mention its relationship with key legislators in the affected areas.
Simultaneously, Penn State anticipates an influx of students in the fall of 2025. This increase in enrollment presents both an opportunity for revenue growth through tuition and fees, and a challenge in terms of accommodating and providing quality education to more students. The need for expanded facilities, resources, and possibly even new constructions could strain the University’s budget further.
At this time, the University’s heavy investment in sports, particularly football, plays a dual role. On one hand, it boosts community spirit and enhances the school’s brand, drawing students, alumni donations, and media attention. On the other, it requires substantial financial outlay that could be contentious when academic and research departments are facing financial scrutiny, irrespective of how the funding is sourced.
Beaver Stadium under construction.
Outside the campus, the surrounding community has pegged tourism as its primary economic development strategy, heavily leveraging the Penn State athletics and cultural pull to attract visitors. This symbiotic relationship underscores the University’s influence on local economics but also highlights the dependency on continued success and investment in these areas.
As Penn State stands at this crossroads, the decisions made today will undoubtedly ripple across the educational and economic landscapes of tomorrow, shaping the future of the institution and its community.
Chris Buchignani is co-host of The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show, contributor to several other Penn State-focused media outlets, and vice president of the Mount Nittany Conservancy. He teaches a class on Penn State Football History for Penn State OLLI.
One Response
This is so very well written and articulate, Chris. You covered a gauntlet of issues in just this one article. Has Penn State offered you a staff sports writer position yet? You are certainly worthy of such a position!