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Florida native Brian Jean-Mary was named USF assistant head coach/defensive coordinator on Jan. 8, 2017.

A 19-year coaching veteran, prior to coming to USF Jean-Mary served on head coach Charlie Strong’s staffs for the previous seven seasons. He spent three seasons with Strong at Texas as the Longhorns’ linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator and also joined Strong as assistant head coach/linebackers coach at Louisville from 2010-13. Jean-Mary has also coached linebackers at Georgia Tech (2004-09) and was a secondary coach at North Alabama (2003). He is entering his second season at USF and 20^th in collegiate coaching in 2018.

“Brian has been a big part of assembling and coaching some of the best defenses in college football over the last 14 years and is ready for the next step to defensive coordinator,” Strong said. “He has recruited, coached and mentored numerous all-conference and future NFL players and I'm excited for him to work with our student-athletes at South Florida.”

A strong recruiter, Jean-Mary helped assemble three top 15 ranked recruiting classes while at Texas. The Longhorns’ 2014 signing class was ranked No. 15 by Scout, while the 2015 and 2016 classes both ranked in the top 10 checking in at No. 7 and No. 8 in the country, respectively.

In his first season as a defensive coordinator at USF (2017), Jean-Mary oversaw an immediate improvement in the Bulls’ defense, which finished in the top 25 of the national rankings in six categories and led The American in scoring and total defense. USF went from 120^th in total defense (482.0 ypg) and 92^nd in scoring defense (31.6 ppg) nationally the prior year to 37^th in total (359.8 ypg) and 41^st in scoring (21.5 ppg) in 2017. The Bulls ranked second nationally in interceptions (20), fifth in tackles for loss (8.4 tpg) and 11th in sacks (3.0 spg) while giving up just 126.9 yards per game rushing (21^st nationally) and gaining 24 turnovers (29^th). Linebacker Auggie Sanchez earned first team all-conference honors after returning a pair of interceptions for touchdowns on the year. Defensive tackle Deadrin Senat, who posted a career-best year with 66 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks, also earned first team all-conference honors among five Bulls’ defenders earning all-conference recognition. Senat was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

At Texas (2014-16), Jean-Mary mentored four All-Big 12 linebackers. During the 2015 season, Malik Jefferson was named a freshman All-American and Big 12 Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, while linebacker Peter Jinkens earned second team All-Big 12 accolades. During the 2014 season, Jean-Mary tutored linebackers Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond who both earned All-Big 12 honors, with Hicks also earning All-America honors. The 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).

Three of his former players were selected in the 2015 NFL Draft as Hicks was a third-round pick and former Louisville players – Lorenzo Mauldin and Deiontrez Mount – were selected in the third and sixth rounds, respectively.

At Louisville (2010-13), Jean-Mary served as assistant head coach/linebackers coach helping 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, and had the nation's fourth-best winning percentage (23-3; 88.5%) over the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

In 2013, Louisville 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%). Louisville also ranked second in scoring defense (12.2 ppg), while placing in the top 10 in pass 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 and was a third-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

In 2012, Louisville posted an 11-2 record, claimed a Big East Championship and finished the year ranked 13th in the BCS Standings. The Cards capped the year with a 33-23 upset win over No. 4 Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Louisville ranked 16th in passing defense (154.2 ypg) and 23rd in total defense (340.3 ypg).

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).

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. 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. 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.

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 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.