Tennessee’s linebackers coach, Brian Jean-Mary, is coming back to Michigan.
Another staff member from Tennessee’s football coaching team is making a move, this time within the defensive department. Brian Jean-Mary, the linebackers coach, has opted to depart, securing the same position and responsibilities as the defensive run game coordinator at the reigning national champion, Michigan, as reported by 247Sports on Thursday.
This change follows closely on the heels of running backs coach Jerry Mack’s departure to the NFL, where he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as their new running backs coach. With these two exits, head coach Josh Heupel now faces the task of filling these vacancies.
Jean-Mary, who joined Tennessee in 2021, had previously served as the linebackers coach at Michigan under former head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2020. Returning to Ann Arbor, he will now work under first-year head coach Sherrone Moore after Harbaugh’s move to the NFL.
Hailing from Apopka, Florida, Jean-Mary played linebacker at Appalachian State in the early 1990s before embarking on a 23-year coaching career with experiences at Louisville, South Carolina, North Alabama, Texas, and USF.
During his three seasons at Tennessee, Jean-Mary played a key role in rebuilding the Vols’ linebacking corps, achieving improvement each year despite challenges such as a lack of numbers. Notably, recruits Elijah Herring and Arion Carter, brought in during the last three recruiting cycles, made significant contributions due to injuries in the previous season.
Looking ahead, although Aaron Beasley has completed his eligibility, Tennessee’s linebacker position appears promising with the return of Herring and Carter, along with Jeremiah Telander. Additionally, veteran linebacker Keenan Pili, who transferred from BYU to Tennessee in 2023, secured a sixth season of eligibility after missing a substantial part of the previous year due to injury.
With spring practices approaching in less than two months, Heupel now faces the task of filling two coaching positions. However, he has demonstrated a tendency to promote from within, as seen with Kelsey Pope and Joey Halzle in previous coaching transitions.
