Jim Knowles was keeping everything simplified. He didn’t want to confuse the young kid.

Malik Hartford was only 16 years old, sitting in the office of the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator, a guy who has been compared to a mad scientist and a “professor of football” by Hartford’s dad. So there could have been an intimidation factor as Knowles flipped on game film, zeroing in on the free safety position – or the Adjuster, as it’s known in Knowles’ defense.

Not so much.

“He was kind of just trying to show me the basics, and I already knew the basics. So he was kind of surprised,” Hartford told Scarlet and Gray Report. “So he started getting into deeper stuff. And then we really started clicking.”

Hartford started asking detailed questions. Knowles got excited, fervently shooting back answers. Knowles asked detailed questions, Hartford fired back with his own thoughts.

That included Knowles explaining how he has his safeties disguise their coverages, sometimes by standing in a certain spot on the field and strategically moving just before the snap.

Back and forth the pair went, synchronized and smooth. A perfect football marriage forming between prospect and coach.

“Malik loves film, Coach Knowles loves film. Coach Knowles is like a football professor,” said Hartford’s father, Jim Hartford. “I think that’s why they really got along so well so quickly. I think that kind of high football IQ with Coach Knowles is something they kind of clicked on.”

Knowles wasn’t fully aware heading into the meeting. But when Hartford left his film room, the Buckeyes coach knew: The discussion they had was advanced football stuff. From one advanced football mind to another. That talk was the final cherry on top – albeit a big cherry – that led to Knowles landing one of his safeties of the future.

One who became Ohio State’s sixth commitment in the Class of 2023 on Wednesday. One who has been groomed to be a perfect fit for a Jim Knowles free safety.

Even if he didn’t know it yet.