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Tennessee football: Breaking down Vols’ new defensive coaching staff

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Josh Heupel’s staff is complete. On Monday, Tennessee football introduced the five members of its defensive staff, nearly three weeks after the offensive staff was introduced. This press conferences comes just a few days after UT parted ways with Kevin Steele, leaving no more mysteries as to what the on-field staff will look like on Rocky Top.

The breakdown of this staff includes a defensive coordinator who will be hands on with the secondary, another secondary coach, a defensive line coach and two two linebackers coaches, one of whom will serve as special teams coordinator. Up and comers, longtime veterans experience at all Power Five schools and familiarity with Heupel make up this group.

As we get set to break down the new members of Tennessee football’s defensive staff, we’ll take a look at exactly what each one brings to the table. The importance of their roles will dictate how we count down this unit. Here is our analysis of all five defensive staff members.

5. Brian Jean-Mary

Linebackers

Given the new system the Vols are adopting, Brian Jean-Mary will likely have the smallest footprint on the defense. Running a base 4-3 with an emphasis on the nickel package means UT will only be running two linebackers at a time on most plays. We should add in the fact that the Vols have another person coaching outside linebackers.

Still, Jean-Mary brings a solid amount of experience to Rocky Top. He has worked under Charlie Strong with the Louisville Cardinals, Texas Longhorns and South Florida Bulls and then Don Brown and Jim Harbaugh last year with the Michigan Wolverines, giving him a wealth of experience.

Before all of that, he worked under Chan Gailey, Paul Johnson, Don Wommack and Paul Johnson with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for six years. Altogether, this gives him significant experience running 4-3, 3-3-5, zone blitz and multiple base defenses while also coaching in the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. Simply put, Tennessee football added a guy with an elite background here.

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