James Ross III will be joining Luke Fickell and Cincinnati football as their new outside linebackers coach. The former Michigan Wolverine will now be coaching with the Bearcats.

Ross played for Michigan from 2012-2015. During his time in Ann Arbor, he had 187 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Ross played for Jim Harbaugh in his 1st year at Michigan. Ross appeared in 50 games for the Wolverines in college.

The news came from a press release by Cincinnati’s Associate Athletic Director Zach Stipe on Wednesday.

Ross played in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers in 2016 out of college after being signed by the team as a free agent. He would later get cut in September of the same year.

In 2018, he would join his old college coach as a graduate assistant working with the linebackers. At Michigan, he coached plenty of NFL talent at the linebacker position. Pittsburgh Steelers LB Devin Bush, New England Patriots LB Josh Uche, Cameron McGrone, Khaleke Hudson, and Jordan Glasgow.

Ross eventually left Michigan in 2021 to become the linebackers coach at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Ross was later promoted to defensive coordinator in the same year.

Cincinnati already has some defensive talent heading to the NFL Draft, we’ll see if Ross can help produce some more NFL caliber products at OLB like he did at Michigan.