Brian Jean-Mary could be on the move again - and this time, it might bring him back to familiar territory in more ways than one.
After leaving Tennessee following the 2023 season to join Michigan’s staff, Jean-Mary now finds himself back on the market. With Michigan undergoing a coaching change - Sherrone Moore out, Kyle Whittingham in - Jean-Mary’s next stop could be Georgia Tech, where he’s reportedly emerged as the top target for the Yellow Jackets’ linebackers coach position.
That move would bring Jean-Mary closer to his old stomping grounds in Knoxville, not just geographically but competitively. Tennessee and Georgia Tech are set to face off this upcoming season in Atlanta, with the Vols making the trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium on September 12.
It’s Tennessee’s second game of the year, following their home opener against Furman. Georgia Tech returns the visit in 2027, setting up back-to-back seasons of head-to-head matchups that could carry added intrigue if Jean-Mary is on the Yellow Jackets’ sideline.
If he takes the job, it won’t be his first stint with the program. Jean-Mary coached linebackers at Georgia Tech from 2004 to 2009, so while the staff has changed, the surroundings wouldn’t be entirely unfamiliar. His coaching résumé is a well-traveled one, with stops that include Michigan (twice), Tennessee, USF, Texas, Louisville, North Alabama, and early-career roles as a graduate assistant at both Louisville and South Carolina.
At Michigan, Jean-Mary held the title of defensive run-game coordinator - a role that put him at the heart of the Wolverines’ front-seven strategy. Before that, he was a key part of Josh Heupel’s initial Tennessee staff, helping shape the Vols’ linebacker unit during the early years of the program’s rebuild under Heupel. His departure after the 2023 season was a return to Ann Arbor, where he had previously coached linebackers in 2020.
His coaching journey also includes a significant stretch at USF from 2017 to 2019, where he wore multiple hats as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach. Prior to that, he spent time at Texas as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator, and at Louisville as assistant head coach and linebackers coach.
Jean-Mary played his college football at Appalachian State and hails from Apopka, Florida - a detail that’s always worth noting when it comes to recruiting reach in the Southeast.
Should he land in Atlanta, Jean-Mary would bring a deep well of experience and a strong track record of developing linebacker talent. And with Tennessee and Georgia Tech set to clash on the field soon, his potential hire adds an extra layer of storyline to a matchup already rich in regional ties.