Former Michigan football player joins Big 12 staff as on-field coach
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.
Rounding out the staff. 💪
Welcome to our 2024 defensive and special teams coaches and analysts! pic.twitter.com/Fe1f4embtc
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) January 19, 2024
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.
