The Michigan Wolverines are reportedly pursuing Tennessee Vols linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary. 

"Michigan is trying to surround (new head coach) Sherrone Moore with as good a staff as they can…I think they're trying to put a lot of pieces around Coach Moore to give him the best chance to be successful," said VolQuest's Austin Price on Tuesday on 104.5 The Zone. "And that starts with going out and getting someone that Sherrone Moore really likes in BJ (Jean-Mary)."

Update: Brian Jean-Mary is heading to Michigan according to multiple reports. 

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Jean-Mary joined Tennessee's staff in 2021 when Josh Heupel was hired to replace Jeremy Pruitt. 

In 2020, Jean-Mary served as a linebackers coach at Michigan where he worked alongside new Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore (Moore was a tight ends coach at Michigan at the time). Jean-Mary also worked with Moore for four seasons at Louisville (2010 to 2013). 

Here are five options to replace Jean-Mary at Tennessee. 

Tony Gilbert — Former Jacksonville Jaguars linebackers coach

Gilbert most recently served as the Jaguars' inside linebackers coach from 2022 to 2023, but he was let go last month. From 2018 to 2019, Gilbert was a defensive quality control coach at UCF under Heupel. 

Gilbert played college football at Georgia before embarking on an NFL career that lasted from 2003 to 2010. He has also spent time as an assistant at Georgia (assistant strength and conditioning), Auburn (graduate assistant), and North Carolina (defensive quality control). Gilbert played at Georgia when Vols defensive line coach Rodney Garner was an assistant for the Bulldogs. He also worked alongside Garner at Georgia in 2011. Additionally, Gilbert spent one season working with Vols outside linebackers coach Mike Ekeler at North Carolina. 

John Jancek — Former Tennessee defensive coordinator

Jancek was Tennessee's defensive coordinator from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, he led the Vols' defense to one of its best seasons in the last 15 years. He spent the 2023 season as the special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach at LSU. 

There was interest in a reunion between Jancek and Tennessee in 2021 when Heupel was filling out his inaugural coaching staff, but the timing didn't quite work out. Jancek coached alongside Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks at Cincinnati from 2010 to 2011. He also coached with Vols cornerbacks coach Willie Martinez at Tennessee (2013 to 2015) and Georgia (2005 to 2009). Garner was at Georgia with Martinez and Jancek during that same time frame, so there are plenty of connections to UT's current defensive coaching staff. 

Joe Lorig — Oregon — Special teams coordinator 

Lorig coached linebackers at Utah State in 2015 when Heupel served as the Aggies' offensive coordinator. He also coached at Penn State for two seasons with Banks (2019 and 2020). Lorig is a Washington native and he played college football at Western Oregon, so he might not be interested in moving to the East Coast. But he has a relationship with the two coaches who will be primarily responsible for filling the job if Jean-Mary leaves. 

Kevin Clune — Northern Arizona — Defensive coordinator 

This is another connection from Heupel's time at Utah State. Clune was the defensive coordinator at Utah State in 2015. He's also spent time in recent years as a linebackers coach at Oregon State, Memphis, and BYU. 

Mike Scherer — UNLV — Defensive coordinator 

Scherer joined UNLV's staff as the defensive coordinator in 2023 after spending two seasons as a linebackers coach at Arkansas. He comes from the Barry Odom coaching tree.

The former Missouri linebacker played for the Tigers from 2012 to 2016 which means he overlapped with Heupel for one season (2016). It seems like everyone is always trying to get back to the SEC so maybe Scherer would consider leaving Odom's side for a gig at Tennessee. 

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