Per GoBearcats:
Cincinnati football head coach Luke Fickell announced the addition of James Ross III to coach outside linebackers on Wednesday. Ross comes to Clifton Heights from Hope College where he served as the Flying Dutchmen’s linebackers coach in 2021 and had recently been promoted to defensive coordinator.
Ross was a three-year starter at linebacker at Michigan from 2012 to 2015. He also spent three seasons as a graduate assistant with the Wolverines from 2018 to 2020.
“We are thrilled to welcome James Ross to our staff and Bearcats family,” Fickell said. “He is one of the best young coaches in the country. His energy and enthusiasm for the game of football and for making young people better are contagious. He will have an immediate positive impact on our team and our linebackers group.”
Ross appeared in 50 games for the Wolverines, making 21 starts and collecting four letters. He finished his career with 188 tackles and 16.5 TFLs. The Orchard Park, Mich., native was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team by ESPN in 2012.
Ross started coaching following a brief stint with the San Diego Chargers in 2016, who signed the linebacker out of college.
As a graduate assistant, Ross helped Michigan coach linebackers and mentored five current NFL players, including Pittsburgh Steelers first round pick Devin Bush, New England Patriots second-rounder Josh Uche, Cameron McGrone, Khaleke Hudson and Jordan Glasgow.
As the linebackers coach at Hope, the Flying Dutchmen led the MIAA in scoring defense (14.5 points per game) and ranked No. 2 in total defense (291.7 yards per game) in 2021. Senior linebacker Jeremiah Purnell collected second-team all-conference accolades under Ross’ tutelage.
Ross and his wife, Omni, have one son, Jayce, and are expecting a second child this spring.
OTHER SUPPORT STAFF ADDITIONS
Fickell also announced these support staff additions:
Ricky Brown, Special Teams Quality Control
A Cincinnati, native, and Elder High School graduate, Brown played seven years for the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens in the NFL after playing linebacker at Boston College. He joins the Bearcats following stints at Ohio State, Boston College and Southern California.
Michael Colosimo, Offensive Quality Control
Colosimo is a 2015 UC graduate who was a walk-on quarterback for the Bearcats in 2013 and 2014. The Villa Hills, Ky., native had 124 total yards and a touchdown off the bench in the 2014 Military Bowl. He has coaching experience on the staffs at Tulane, Tennessee, Kentucky and Pittsburgh.
Jordan Johnson, Offensive Graduate Assistant
Johnson was a two-time First Team All-AAC offensive lineman at UCF from 2016 to 2019 before starting his coaching career. He served as a graduate assistant at Northeastern State this past fall and as the offensive line coach at Madonna (Mich.) University in 2021. He also served as a strength and conditioning coach with Tom Shaw Performance in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2020.
Kurt Rawlings, Offensive Graduate Assistant
Rawlings joins the staff following a standout career at quarterback at Yale where he set nearly every passing record. He won two Ivy League championships and was named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 after throwing for 3,002 yards and 27 touchdowns.
