On the defensive side, Tom Ross comes of three seasons as the head coach of the Stuttgart Scorpions in German Football League. He also coached at St. Olaf College and Carlton College before making his way to Hanover with Austin. Ross, a free safety in his four years at Augsburg College, where he received his bachelor’s degree, coached at his alma mater where he served as defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator in three separate stints with the college.

   Ross acknowledged that this upcoming season’s roster is a young one, but believes they can be competitive early on in the season. As for his Hanover experience so far, it has been a positive one.

   “It is everything we expected it to be, “Ross said. “There are good aesthetics, good academics. It’s nicer than we thought.”