Brian Jean-Mary, who previously served as a linebackers’ coach at UT, comes back to Michigan.
In Josh Heupel’s initial two seasons at Tennessee, there was relatively little turnover in his coaching staff. However, he did lose WR coach Kodi Burns to the New Orleans Saints after just one season at UT. Additionally, after the 2022 season, longtime offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Alex Golesh took the head coaching position at USF. Soon after, running backs coach Jerry Mack moved to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Brian Jean-Mary returned to the Big 10 to join Michigan’s coaching staff under Head Coach Sherrone Moore.
While the departure of Mack and Jean-Mary impacts player development and recruiting, it’s evident that Tennessee lost two valuable assistants. Jean-Mary’s coaching abilities were demonstrated during his tenure, notably in his management of linebacker Jeremy Banks, who showed significant improvement despite prior off-field issues. Additionally, Jean-Mary successfully handled the challenges posed by transfer Juwan Mitchell, who had disciplinary issues both at Tennessee and subsequently at Arizona State.
In terms of player development, Jean-Mary played a pivotal role in the progress of Aaron Beasley, who had been overlooked previously but flourished under Jean-Mary’s guidance. Furthermore, Jean-Mary proved to be an adept recruiter, particularly noted for his successes at Michigan, where he secured commitments from promising recruits across multiple classes.
Looking ahead, it remains uncertain whom Heupel will appoint as replacements for the departed coaches. However, finding individuals capable of both national recruiting and player development will undoubtedly be a challenge. Given the timing of these departures, the hope is for a smooth transition in the coaching searches for Tennessee.
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