When Jim Knowles was the defensive coordinator at Duke a decade ago, he developed a plan to counteract the high-tempo offenses that had proliferated the sport.
It followed a directive from David Cutcliffe, then the Blue Devils’ coach who asked him to speed up their play-calling.
If they could call in plays at a faster rate, they would be in better position before the snap.
The adjustments from the early 2010s remain central to the scheme Knowles installed at Ohio State and offer a window into the confidence he projected Tuesday as the Buckeyes prepare to face Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
As Knowles fielded a series of questions about the speed of the Volunteers’ high-scoring offense, he offered a reminder.
“Our defense is built for tempo,” Knowles said.
It’s rare for the Buckeyes to face offenses in the Big Ten that push the pace as much as Tennessee, which averages 74.6 plays per game, ranking 11th in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Nebraska was their only opponent during the regular season that averages even 70 or more plays per game.
But Knowles’ background is rooted in the ACC and Big 12, leagues that are more likely to feature wide-open offenses playing fast.
The influence remains.
“Our calls, everything in this system,” Knowles said, “has been this way since Duke with Coach Cutcliffe.”
Knowles, who took over as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator in 2022, said he considers his side of the ball to still be the fastest play-calling defense in the nation, a potential edge in Saturday’s matchup with the Volunteers.
“It allows you to get your cleats in the dirt earlier,” safety Caleb Downs said, “an ability to see the formation, what keys you have before the play and knowledge of your job.
“Being able to play and not think during the game is a really big thing, so whenever you can get the call in faster and play at a high level without thought, that’s a really good thing for your team.”
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Tennessee uses its fast tempo to feed Dylan Sampson, a workhorse running back who was the SEC’s offensive player of the year.
Few FBS teams are as run heavy as the Volunteers, who have run the ball on 61.3% of their offensive snaps this year.
It’s the first time Josh Heupel’s offense at Tennessee has gained more yards on the ground (2,784) than through the air (2,771).
The Buckeyes have sought to mimic Tennessee’s tempo with their scout team in practices, hurrying between snaps.
In instances when the scout team needs to slow its pace, the defense has been asked to turn its back to the offense for a moment before flipping back, leaving it with less time to react to the formation that materializes at the line of scrimmage.
“You’re just trying to be creative,” Knowles said, “so they understand the speed and decision-making that is going to have to take place.”
But there are limits to the simulation.
“I opened the week telling the guys that we’re going to do everything we can to prepare you,” Knowles said, “but it’s like when you play an option team and show up, it’s a lot different.”
Linebacker Sonny Styles said their preparation for the speed was as much mental as physical.
“You got imagine how fast you’re going to have to get lined up,” Styles said. “We got a lot of mature guys on our defense. We’re going to be able to handle that well.”
All of Ohio State’s starters on the defensive side of the ball are upperclassmen with the exception of Downs, a sophomore who was an All-American this fall.
The experience is one of the reasons the Buckeyes allow only 10.9 points per game, the fewest in the FBS, and adds to their confidence to handle the wrinkle presented by Tennessee.
“The most important thing is urgency,” linebacker Cody Simon said “If they’re going to be urgent, we have to be urgent as well, getting aligned and getting the call. It goes back to basic defense. You got to be ready for anything.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter,@joeyrkaufman or email him atjkaufman@dispatch.com.
