Tennessee loses Brian Jean Mary to Michigan

Tennessee assistant Brian Jean-Mary is going back to his previous stop before arriving on Rocky Top. The Vol linebackers coach has agreed to return to Michigan in the same position on Sherrone Moore’s inaugural staff in Ann Arbor.

Jean-Mary is a 23-year coaching veteran and known for his ability to relate and develop his position. He informed Josh Heupel of his decision on Thursday morning. He inked a 3-year deal with the Wolverines to coach under famed defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

At Michigan in 2020, Jean-Mary coached senior linebacker Josh Ross, who finished the COVID-19 shortened season with a team-best 53 tackles. He also ranked eighth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.83). Fellow senior linebacker Adam Shibley was also a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award. Following the season, junior linebacker Cameron McGrone was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.

Jean-Mary was tabbed by Tim Banks to lead a linebacker room that was fairly bare just three short years ago. In his first season on Rocky Top in 2021 saw the Volunteers establish an attacking defensive identity even despite a lack of depth and multiple injuries at linebacker. Tennessee finished the year tied for eighth in the nation and second in the SEC in tackles for loss with 108, nearly doubling its total from a year prior to his arrival.

Linebacker Jeremy Banks, a product of Jean-Mary’s tutelage, led the way for the Vols. The redshirt junior ranked second in the SEC and tied for seventh in the nation in total tackles with 128. That tally was the most by a Vol in a season since A.J. Johnson logged 138 tackles in 2012. Banks also tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (5.5).

Jean-Mary’s presence helped the Vols to a national resurgence in 2021 en route to winning seven games an appearance in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. The following season, Jean-Mary’s unit flourished again as Tennessee won 11 games for the first time in two decades highlighted by victories over six ranked teams, including Pittsburgh, Florida, LSU, Alabama, Kentucky and Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Jean-Mary mentored Aaron Beasley, who was the Vols’ leading tackler with 76 tackles and a team-high 13 tackles for loss. Beasley was dominant in the Orange Bowl win over the Tigers, racking up 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. He was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team for his efforts.

Banks chipped in 53 tackles and was invited to the NFL Combine following the season before signing a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jean-Mary has played a critical role in helping the Vols sign back-to-back top-12 recruiting classes. He signed a trio of outstanding linebackers for the Class of 2023, including the state of Tennessee’s No. 2 overall prospect in Arion Carter. He also brought in highly touted transfer Keenan Pili of BYU. Jean-Mary’s linebacking group is poised for a promising future.

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. He also had a top-30 class at Louisville in 2011 (27th) and the nation’s 15th-best class at Georgia Tech in 2007.

A native of Apopka, Florida, Jean-Mary earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Appalachian State in 1998. He played linebacker for the Mountaineers from 1993-97.