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Things didn’t quite go as Brian Jean-Mary planned this past year.
After being a casualty of a coaching transition at USF, Jean-Mary decided to revert back to being a position coach after having been a defensive coordinator in Tampa. He arrived in Ann Arbor, but soon after, the coronavirus pandemic took ahold, and spring football took a back seat. That means he didn’t get a chance to work with his players until mid-summer, after the student-athletes reported to campus and when the coaches were allowed to be hands-on.
He had to find a way to connect with players he had never coached while acclimating to a new system, all while doing so remotely — not an easy role.
Speaking with Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio show, Jean-Mary shared, in broad terms, what that was like and how he went about doing his job in a unique situation.
“It was a major, major challenge,” Jean-Mary said. “Obviously, with working with the SAM and VIPER unit, we had two great players, two generational guys last year in Uche and Hudson — and with them being gone, you didn’t have the game video of the players that were returning. So you wanted to hurry up and get them on the field and see what their strengths and weaknesses were and as a coach, try to help them. Without that experience — the Zoom meetings don’t help that. Nothing replaces experience! So it was a little bit of a challenge. Like I said, frustrating at times. The guys, like I said, are wide-eyed and energetic, and as eager to learn as much as possible. So even if it was a Zoom, you pan out the camera and you’re getting in stances and you’re trying to go over things on the board and they were super attentive.
“So we made the most of the situation, but nothing replaces getting on the grass, meeting and defeating blocks, getting to the line and stuff like that. We’ve sped that process up and they’ve done a good job.”
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Jean-Mary has an extensive resume coaching football in the Power Five, having coached under Chan Gailey and Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech before following Charlie Strong from Louisville to Texas to USF. He’s been coaching linebackers since 2004 when he arrived in Atlanta, but has had some other roles, including recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator and was twice an assistant head coach.
Now he’s taken a step back to be at Michigan, working solely with the SAM and VIPER linebackers.
But he’s excited about this opportunity, because it’s pushing him to be the best coach that he can be. And gives the credit on that front to Jim Harbaugh.
“Individually, Coach Harbaugh, he’s a blue blood – not saying that just because it’s Michigan,” Jean-Mary said. “He lives and breathes football. He’s a guy, once you get to know him, his biggest thing is empty your tank every day. If you have something you can do to make this program a better program individually, you should do it every day. If you’re not, try to find a way to get it done. That’s the kind of guy you want to work for as a head coach, because he’s gonna challenge you as a position coach and challenge your players to be the best they can be.”
Of course, Harbaugh is leading the charge, but Don Brown leads the defense and works with the linebackers on the other side of the line.
Jean-Mary had nothing but the highest praise for Brown, saying he’s the best in the business at what he does.
“It’s been awesome, it’s been awesome,” Jean-Mary said. “I’ve been blessed to be around some great coaches in my career and Coach Brown is, in my opinion, the best defensive coordinator in the country. As I’m actually learning the system and learning under him, I’m also taking notes and almost enamored because of the way his defense has performed – and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Jean-Mary’s linebackers will be on full display come Oct. 24 when Michigan heads to Minnesota for the Big Ten season opener.