Ohio State DC Jim Knowles Disagrees with Controversial Penalty Call Against Tennessee Despite It Being Correct
During the second quarter of Tennessee’s 42-17 loss to Ohio State in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, a critical roughing-the-passer penalty significantly impacted the flow of the game. Buckeyes pass rusher Kenyatta Jackson Jr. was flagged after a forceful hit on Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The penalty not only negated an interception by the Buckeyes but also sparked debate over the interpretation of the rules.
Jackson’s hit came as Iamaleava released the ball, with the defender driving the quarterback into the ground. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles later expressed his disagreement with the call during a media session, defending Jackson’s play.
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Knowles explained. “We highlighted his effort because it was a tough call. When you’re already into the quarterback, it’s difficult to adjust. If he pulled the ball down and I landed on him, that’s not a penalty. But if he releases it and I land on him, suddenly it’s a foul? It wasn’t late, it wasn’t dirty—it was a clean hit in my opinion.”
While Knowles’ frustration is understandable, the officials’ decision was rooted in the rulebook. The NCAA defines roughing the passer as a penalty when a defender “forcibly drives the passer to the ground and lands on the passer with unnecessary weight or action that punishes the player.” By this standard, Jackson’s actions met the criteria for the penalty, even if it wasn’t malicious.
This type of call often stirs debate among fans and analysts, especially those nostalgic for a time when football was officiated with a more lenient approach. Two decades ago, Jackson’s hit might not have drawn a flag. However, the evolution of player safety protocols has made such calls a necessary aspect of modern football, whether people agree with them or not.
Interestingly, Tennessee experienced a similar situation in their regular-season finale against Vanderbilt. Vols edge rusher Joshua Josephs was penalized for roughing the passer after a hit on Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. While Josephs’ hit appeared more aggressive than Jackson’s, a closer look shows that Jackson applied more body weight to Iamaleava than Josephs did to Pavia.
Ultimately, whether fans or even Knowles approve of the call, the officials adhered to the established rules, making it the correct decision. In the end, this particular penalty had little bearing on the final outcome of the game, as Ohio State maintained their dominance and advanced further in the playoffs.
