Just In: Tennessee Reportedly Set to Hire Big Ten Coach Brian Jean-Mary to Defensive Staff

Just In: Tennessee Reportedly Set to Hire Big Ten Coach Brian Jean-Mary to Defensive Staff

As Tennessee's staff continues to fill out, it appears Josh Heupel and Tim Banks have poached Brian Luc Jean-Mary away from Michigan.

The news was first reported by Chris Balas of Michigan Rivals. It is likely Jean-Mary should join Tennessee as a linebackers coach as well. Below is a look at his bio from Michigan.

"Brian Jean-Mary was hired as linebackers coach for the Wolverines on January 17, 2020. Jean-Mary was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at USF from 2017-19, where he helped the Bulls defense become one of the nation's best at forcing turnovers and getting to the quarterback.

Jean-Mary arrives in Ann Arbor as a 21-year coaching veteran having spent the last 10 seasons on the defensive staffs of Charlie Strong, first at Louisville (2010-13) as assistant head coach/linebackers coach, then at Texas (2014-16) as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator, and finally at USF (2017-19).

As a recruiter, Jean-Mary helped produce a trio of top-15 signing classes at Texas, improving from 15th in 2014 to seventh in 2015 and eighth in 2016, and one at Georgia Tech (15th, 2007). He also had a top-30 class at Louisville in 2011 (27th).

At USF, Jean-Mary's defensive units were consistently among the nation's best in turnovers created, tackles for loss, and pass defense. In his first year, USF listed top-25 nationally in six categories, including sacks per game (3.0, 11th) and interceptions (20, second). The Bulls led The American Conference in total defense (359.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (21.5 points per game), improving from 120th in total defense and 92nd in scoring defense to 37th and 41st, respectively, after Jean-Mary's arrival. Defensive tackle Deadrin Senat was one of five all-conference defenders before being drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

USF collected forced 69 turnovers across Jean-Mary's three seasons (24, 21, 24) and ranked top-30 in that area twice. The Bulls also ranked top-five in tackles for loss per game twice (8.4 and 8.3 per game in 2017, '19) and ranked No. 4 in red zone defense in 2019 (67.4 percent).

At Texas, Jean-Mary developed the linebacking core to produce four All-Big 12 players and an All-American in Jordan Hicks (2014). Texas was top-25 nationally in six categories in 2014, including sacks (11th). The Longhorns averaged more than 3.0 sacks per game in all three years Jean-Mary was at Texas, ranking top-five nationally in his last two seasons. UT also led the nation in recovered fumbles (21) in 2014 and ranked 11th in 2015 (12). Linebacker Jordan Hicks was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and Jean-Mary's former players Lorenzo Mauldin and Deiontrez Mount (from his days at Louisville) were also chosen.

Before Texas, Jean-Mary worked as assistant head coach/linebackers coach at Louisville where the Cardinals won 37 games and two Big East Championships (2011, '12) across four seasons. UL compiled a 3-1 bowl game record peaking with a win over No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Sugar Bowl. Louisville's .885 win percentage (23-3) over the 2012-13 seasons was the fourth-best mark in the country during that time.

Jean-Mary's time at Louisville began with back-to-back 7-6 seasons in 2010-11 and a share of the '11 Big East Title. The defense was top-20 in five categories in both seasons, including top-10 marks in pass defense (167.4 yards per game, ninth) and sacks per game (3.0, sixth) in 2010 and rushing defense (100.5 yards per game, 10th) in 2011.

The Cardinals took a step forward in 2012, going 11-2 to finish 13th in the BCS Standings with top-25 marks in passing defense and total defense. But in 2013, Jean-Mary's unit was among the nation's best, leading the country in five areas: total defense (251.5 yards per game), rushing defense (80.7 yards per game), sacks per game (3.31), first downs allowed (183) and third-down defense (26.7 percent). The defense was second in scoring defense (12.2 points per game) and top-10 in four other categories. Five Cardinals were selected in the NFL Draft during his time there: defensive backs Calvin Pryor (2014, first round) and Johnny Patrick (2011, third round), defensive ends Marcus Smith (2014, first round) and Greg Scruggs (2012, seventh round), and linebacker Preston Brown (2014, third round).

Jean-Mary spent six seasons coaching linebackers at Georgia Tech from 2004-09, guiding the defense to top-30 seasons in rushing defense, scoring defense, and total defense in five of his six years on staff. The Yellow Jackets led the nation in sacks and ranked second in tackles for loss in 2007, and finished top-20 in both categories the next season as well. In 2009, Georgia Tech went 11-3 with an ACC Championship and went on to appear in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. Linebacker Gerris Wilkinson (2005) and Philip Wheeler (2008) were third-round NFL Draft picks under Jean-Mary and Georgia Tech.

Jean-Mary got started as a graduate assistant on the strength and conditioning staff at Louisville in 2000 before spending two seasons under Lou Holtz at South Carolina, where he was a defensive graduate assistant coach (2001-02). He then got his first full-time coaching job at North Alabama (2003), a highly successful NCAA Division II program, where he helped the Lions go 13-2, win the Gulf South Conference Championship, and clinch a berth in the semifinals of the 2003 NCAA Division II playoffs while allowing 14.1 points per game (sixth nationally)."