Penn State football will boast one of the nation's top rosters in 2025, and the most complete one yet in coach James Franklin's 11th season. But it will carry a warning label, for now. A team primed to make another deep postseason run and play for its first national title in nearly 40 years must find answers to a couple of preseason dilemmas to legitimize its elite expectations.

Penn State has made a massive splash by hiring Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to take the same job with the Nittany Lions. He replaces Tom Allen, who left PSU to become Clemson’s defensive coordinator. Here are three thoughts on what Penn State hiring Knowles means moving forward.