Ryan Day addresses the Ohio State Buckeyes going up against Jim Knowles in his return to Columbus with Penn State

Ryan Day on facing Jim Knowles

“Jim’s always done a good job of putting his guys in the best position to be successful,” Day said Monday. “It’ll come down to us — we’ve got to execute at a high level.”

Penn State remains solid against the pass but has struggled badly against the run, allowing 158 rushing yards per game. UCLA put up 42 points on the Nittany Lions in early October, and both Northwestern and Iowa have handed them back-to-back losses, each scoring over 20 points.

Knowles spent three years at Ohio State, where the Buckeyes’ defense gradually improved during his tenure. His system took multiple seasons to fully install and for players to master, something several even admitted. Under Patricia, Ohio State has kept much of that foundation in place but refined it, adding new disguises and wrinkles that Patricia is known for. There’s no reason for hard feelings toward Knowles — he helped Ohio State win a national title — but there’s no doubt the Buckeyes will have some extra motivation to perform against him this time around. Saturday’s game in Columbus marks another noon kickoff, as Ohio State looks to move to 8-0. The Buckeyes will “black out” the crowd against Penn State, even with the early start.

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