The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
Brian Jean-Mary, a 17-year coaching veteran, including the last six with head coach Charlie Strong at Louisville and Texas, is in his third season as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator with the Longhorns.
Jean-Mary’s third season in Austin began with a bang, as the Longhorns’ 2016 signing class was ranked No. 8 in the country by Scout, and among the top 12 by all four major recruiting services.
Jean-Mary mentored two All-Big 12 linebackers during the 2015 season, including freshman All-American Malik Jefferson. Jefferson, an honorable mention All-Big 12 team member, was joined by fellow linebacker Peter Jinkens who earned second team All-Big 12 accolades. Jinkens led the Longhors in tackles with 75 during the 2015 campaign, while also leading the team with 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Jefferson, who was recognized by ESPN and Sporting News as a Freshman All-American, was named the Big 12 Conference’s Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. He totaled 61 tackles to go along with six quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and 7.0 tackles for loss.
Two players that Jean-Mary was integral in recruiting to Louisville were either drafted or signed UDFA contracts following the 2016 NFL Draft. DT Sheldon Rankins was picked 12th overall by the New Orleans Saints, while LB James Burgess signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins.
During the 2014 season, Jean-Mary helped tutor a pair of All-Big 12 players in Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond, with Hicks also earning All-America honors. That duo ranked 1-2 on the team in tackles (Hicks - 147; Edmond - 131) and combined for 26 tackles for a loss and nine sacks, as Texas ranked No. 25 nationally in total defense (348.8 yards per game). Hicks’ tackle total ranks tied for seventh on the UT single-season list.
Hicks went on to become a third-round pick of Philadelphia in the 2015 NFL Draft, along with two of his former Louisville players - Lorenzo Mauldin (third round to NY Jets) and Deiontrez Mount (sixth round to Tennessee).
At Louisville, Jean-Mary (ZHAHN-muh-REE) served as assistant head coach and linebackers coach and helped Strong amass a 37-15 record and a pair of Big East Conference Championships (2011, 2012). The Cardinals also made four straight bowl game appearances (3-1 record), including a victory over No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl.
During 2012-13, Louisville was the nation’s fourth-winningest program, posting a 23-3 record (88.5 percent) and registering bowl victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. The Cardinals’ 11-plus win seasons in 2012 and 2013 were the fourth and fifth in school history and the first back to back.
In 2013, the Cardinals finished ranked 15th in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls after compiling a 12-1 record, including a 7-1 mark in the American Athletic Conference, marking the first back-to-back top 15 finishes in school history. The year was capped with a 36-9 win over Miami (Fla.) in the Russell Athletic Bowl as the defense held the Hurricanes to just 174 total yards. It marked just the second 12-win season in school history (2006).
The Cards led the nation in total defense (251.5 ypg), rushing defense (80.7 ypg), sacks (3.31 pg), fewest first downs allowed (183), and third-down conversion defense (26.7%). UofL also ranks second in scoring defense (12.2 ppg), while placing in the top 10 in passing efficiency defense (fourth), passing yards allowed (fifth), tackles for loss (sixth) and red-zone defense (fifth). LB Preston Brown earned second-team All-AAC East honors under Jean-Mary while leading the team with 98 tackles. Brown was second with 12.5 tackles for loss, in addition to having 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two recovered fumbles. He went on to be drafted in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
In 2012, UofL posted an 11-2 record, claimed a Big East Championship and finished the year ranked 13th in the BCS Standings, USA Today Coaches Poll and AP Poll. The Cards capped the year with a 33-23 upset win over the fourth-ranked Gators in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Louisville ranked 16th in passing defense (154.2 ypg) and 23rd in total defense (340.3 ypg). Brown also led the team in tackles that season with 109 en route to second-team All-Big East honors.
In Jean-Mary’s first two seasons with the program (2010-11), Louisville recorded 7-6 records, including winning five of its last six games in 2011 to win a share of the Big East title. The defense ranked 10th in the nation against the run (100.5 ypg), while finishing in the top 25 in scoring defense (17th/20.1 ppg), total defense (23rd/327.9 ypg), sacks (21st/2.54 pg) and tackles for loss (22nd/7.1 pg). Dexter Heyman was a second-team All-Big East selection and finished as the team’s leading tackler. Heyman also led the Cardinals in interceptions (three) and tackles for loss (16). Brown showed great improvement under Jean-Mary’s tutelage, totaling a career-high 84 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss.
The 2010 season finished with a win over Southern Mississippi, 31-28, in the 2010 Beef `O’ Brady’s Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Cardinals defense was once again one of the best in the nation, ranking sixth in sacks (3.0 pg), ninth in pass defense (167.4 ypg), 13th in third-down conversion defense (34.1 percent), 14th in total defense (311.7 ypg) and 18th in scoring defense (19.4 ppg). Led by Brandon Heath, the linebackers finished as three of the team’s top six tacklers. Heath registered 70 tackles and three sacks, while Daniel Brown had 54 tackles and three sacks.
Prior to his time at Louisville, Jean-Mary was the linebackers coach at Georgia Tech from 2004-09 where he helped recruit the state of Texas under head coach Chan Gailey for much of that time. He was instrumental in building a defense that was one of the most consistent in the country. It ranked among the nation’s top 30 in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense in five of his six seasons he was there.
In 2009, Jean-Mary helped Georgia Tech post an 11-3 record, an ACC Championship victory over Clemson and an appearance in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. LB Brad Jefferson led the team in tackles with 95 and was second in tackles for loss with eight, while adding two forced fumbles. The Yellow Jackets registered a 9-4 record in 2008. The defense ranked 13th in tackles for loss, 18th in sacks, 24th in rushing defense, 25th in total defense and 28th in scoring defense. Linebackers Kyle Jackson and Sedric Griffin were third and fourth on the team, respectively, in tackles, while Griffin had eight tackles for loss.
Under Jean-Mary’s tutelage, LBs Phillip Wheeler and Gary Guyton became the core of the Tech defense in 2007. The duo was first and second on the team in tackles, respectively, and combined for 22.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Wheeler was awarded for his play by being selected to the All-ACC second team. Georgia Tech led the nation in sacks and ranked second in tackles for loss during the regular season.
Jean-Mary guided the linebacker duo of Wheeler and KaMichael Hall into two of the top defenders in the ACC in 2006. Wheeler earned second-team All-America honors as well as second-team All-ACC accolades, while Hall garnered honorable mention All-ACC recognition.
In 2005, Jean-Mary coached two-time All-ACC linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, Tech’s leading tackler his last two seasons. Wilkinson was a third-round draft pick of the New York Giants. Jean-Mary’s linebackers recorded seven of the Yellow Jackets’ 21 interceptions.
In 2004, Jean-Mary also worked with Chris Reis, who earned honorable mention All-ACC honors in his only season at outside linebacker. Wilkinson and Reis flourished at linebacker after moving from defensive end and safety, respectively.
Prior to his tenure at Georgia Tech, Jean-Mary spent one season coaching the defensive backs at North Alabama, one of the top programs in NCAA Division II. He helped the Lions to a 13-1 record, the Gulf South Conference title and a berth in the semifinals of the 2003 NCAA Division II playoffs. North Alabama’s defense was one of the best in the nation, ranking sixth nationally in scoring defense at 14.1 points per game, and 25th in pass defense and 26th in total defense.
Jean-Mary previously spent two years (2001-02) as a defensive graduate assistant at South Carolina under Lou Holtz and one year (2000) as a graduate assistant on the strength and conditioning staff at Louisville.
A native of Apopka, Fla., Jean-Mary played college football at Appalachian State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1998. Jean-Mary is married to the former Jerilyn Ardis and has two daughters, Brooke and Brittany.
