Tag: James Ross

Former Michigan football player joins Big 12 staff as on-field coach

He’s making moves! #GoBlue

While Michigan football was embarking upon a College Football Playoff run that culminated in a national championship, a former Wolverines standout was making moves of his own.

After spending last season as a defensive analyst for the Tulane Green Wave, former Michigan linebacker James Ross III followed head coach Willie Fritz to his new post with the Houston Cougars in the new-look Big 12. Though Ross posted weeks ago about Cougars signings during the early signing period, an indication he had or would likely join the staff, he was officially announced as the team’s new linebackers coach on Friday.

Ross was a graduate assistant at Michigan from 2018-20, working with the linebackers (including his younger brother, Josh Ross). From there, he took a linebackers coach post with Hope College before joining the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2021 (the year UC made the College Football Playoff semifinal against Alabama) as the team’s outside linebackers coach. He joined Fritz’s Green Wave staff as a senior defensive analyst.

Former Michigan football linebacker lands new coaching job

Nice landing spot for him! #GoBlue

James Ross played his collegiate ball at the University of Michigan from 2012-2015. He was a four-year letterman and started 21 games at linebacker for the Wolverines.

Ross had a brief stint with the Chargers in the NFL, but could never quite catch on to the NFL game. But the former maize and blue linebacker had the itch to coach the college game, and Jim Harbaugh brought Ross on as a graduate assistant where he helped coach from 2018-2020.

Hope College, a Division III program, hired him in 2021 to coach its linebackers. After his lone season there, Cincinnati and Luke Fickell brought Ross along to coach the Bearcats’ linebacking corps. Once Fickell left for Wisconsin, Ross was left looking for a new gig.

According to Football Scoop, Tulane has hired Ross for the same position. He will head to the Green Wave under Willie Fritz, who had a remarkable turnaround. Tulane won just two games in 2021 before having a season of a lifetime in 2022 after it won 12 games and had a victory over USC in Cotton Bowl.

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Former Michigan football linebacker announced as position coach of CFP team

This is awesome news!

Several former Michigan football players have stormed the coaching world, especially in Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines have multiple coaches who once wore the winged helmet.

But other teams have also taken to hiring former Wolverines to coach, as well.

One such former player was recently elevated to defensive coordinator at Hope College, but he’s making a big move up, as a program that was in College Football Playoff is hiring him to be a position coach. James Ross, the former Michigan linebacker and older brother to Josh Ross, was announced on Wednesday as the new outside linebackers coach at Cincinnati after his successful stint at Hope College.

Ross got his start coaching with the San Diego Chargers before coming back to Ann Arbor and working as a grad assistant. He got his next gig — Hope College — after returning to his alma mater.

Of course, now, Ross will be working under a former Buckeye in Luke Fickell.

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Former Michigan LB, assistant finds on-field coaching gig

The former Michigan football linebacker has received his first on-field coaching job.

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Michigan has had a bevy of former players end up working with the staff as grad assistants upon hanging up their cleats in recent years. But many have been on the move to bigger and better opportunities.

Most recently, we’ve seen former linebacker Mike McCray move to Notre Dame to continue his work as a grad assistant there, but others have taken steps up, whether it be Allen Gant, who is now the defensive coordinator at West Virginia Wesleyan or Roy Roundtree becoming GVSU’s wide receivers coach.

Now another is on the move, taking an on-field coaching position.

James Ross was a starting linebacker in Jim Harbaugh’s first year at the helm in Ann Arbor, and quickly became a grad assistant working with the linebacking corps afterward. Now, he’s been hired by Hope College as the Flying Dutchmen’s new linebackers coach.

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Per the release, here’s what Hope College head coach Peter Stuursma had to say about adding Ross to his coaching staff.

“I have watched James grow from a young football player at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s to his career as a player, at the University of Michigan and the NFL, to now. I am ecstatic to have him join the institution of Hope College,” Stuursma said. “James brings a toughness, a work ethic, an expertise, and the ability to build relationships with players that will be a huge asset to our program. He has hit the ground running. We feel fortunate to have someone of his caliber here at Hope College.”

Michigan has significantly retooled its coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, having let all but one assistant go with new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald taking the reins from Don Brown.

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