Coaches / Defensive coordinator / Jeff Knowles
Career
58
not coaching now
Rating58recent
Peak74best 5 yrs
Career58whole career
confidence
Jeff Knowles
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach · Ball State
Headline rating: as defensive coordinator. Every role he has been rated in is below.
Chemistry
—
index in development
Seasons here3
Programs3
Stints4
Career path
Head-coaching stints since 1936; assistant roles since 2016
As defensive coordinator
Rating58Peak74
His defense against its preseason projection (value over expectation) and the unit's opponent-adjusted quality.
| Season | Team | Unit (EPA/play) | Over expectation | Season score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ball State | -0.07 | 0.09 | 0.43 |
| 2024 | Ball State | -0.15 | -0.07 | -1.40 |
| 2021 | Temple | -0.11 | -0.05 | -1.04 |
| 2020 | Temple | -0.06 | -0.05 | -0.71 |
| 2019 | Temple | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.54 |
| 2018 | Northern Illinois | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.54 |
Season score: 0 = an average season in this role; positive = better.
As position coach · linebackers
Rating59Peak72
Room quality, development (his players gaining more than typical players at the position year to year) and recruiting credit.
| Season | Team | Room | Room quality | Development | Recruiting | Season score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ball State | Linebackers | 69 | +5.8 | 0.827 | -0.12 |
| 2024 | Ball State | Linebackers | 73 | -1.4 | 0.825 | -0.38 |
| 2021 | Temple | Linebackers | 70 | +2.7 | 0.822 | -0.31 |
| 2020 | Temple | Linebackers | 68 | -0.1 | 0.816 | -0.68 |
| 2018 | Northern Illinois | Linebackers | 77 | +10.7 | 0.813 | 0.68 |
| 2017 | Northern Illinois | Linebackers | 81 | +7.9 | 0.812 | 0.74 |
| 2016 | Northern Illinois | Linebackers | 71 | — | 0.775 | -0.74 |
Season score: 0 = an average season in this role; positive = better.