Notre Dame made public the official hires of linebackers coach, Brian Jean-Mary, and defensive backs coach, Aaron Henry.
Notre Dame Announces Brian Jean-Mary as Linebackers Coach, Run Game Coordinator
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Brian Jean-Mary has joined the Notre Dame Football coaching staff as the Linebackers Coach and Run Game Coordinator.
Jean-Mary (pronounced ZHAHN muh-REE) brings 25 years of experience in the collegiate coaching ranks as an assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, defensive run game
coordinator, linebackers coach, secondary coach and graduate assistant with both defense and strength and conditioning. He joins the Irish staff after most recently serving his second stint on the defensive side of the ball at the University of Michigan.
Jean-Mary consistently led his defenses to top 25 national rankings over his tenure. Ten players he has coached have gone on to be drafted in the NFL Draft over his coaching career to date.
The 2025 Michigan defense was ranked 19th among all FBS programs in rushing defense (111.9) and 23rd in total defense (323.3) under Jean-Mary’s guidance as the defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach. In 2024, his linebackers played a large role for the Wolverines’ tenth-ranked defense. Michigan held eight teams under 100 yards rushing over the span of the 2024 season.
While at Tennessee from 2021-23, Jean-Mary led the Volunteers to top-ten FBS rankings in tackles for loss in each of his three seasons as the linebackers coach. The 2023 Tennessee defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in defensive touchdowns (5), tackles for loss (7.8), team sacks (3.15) and fourth-down conversion percentage defense (26.9 percent). The 2022 squad was tenth in tackles for loss per game (7.2) while the 2021 Volunteers finished the season tied for eighth in the nation and second in the SEC in total tackles for loss (108).
In his first stint at the University of Michigan, Jean-Mary led the linebackers in the 2020 season for the Wolverines. Under his tutelage, Josh Ross was among the nation’s leaders in total tackles while the defense finished the season third in the Big Ten in defensive touchdowns. Michigan linebacker Cameron McGrone was a fifth round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
From 2017-19, Jean-Mary was the Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at the University of South Florida. The Bulls were ranked in the top five in tackles for loss in two of his three seasons with the squad. USF forced at least 20 turnovers in each season under Jean-Mary.
The 2019 Bulls were fourth in red zone defense (0.674), fifth in team tackles for loss (8.3), tenth in the nation in fumbles recovered (12) and 15th in turnovers gained (24). In 2018, linebacker Khalid McGee ranked 31st in the nation in solo tackles, and his 111 total tackles were the seventh-most in a single season in program history. Jean-Mary’s first season in Tampa saw USF rank in the top 25 in fourth down conversion percentage defense (36.8 percent), rushing defense (126.9), defensive team passing efficiency (140.98), team sacks (3.0), team tackles for loss (8.4) and turnover margin (0.83) in 2017.
Jean-Mary served as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Texas from 2014-16. He helped guide four linebackers to All-Big 12 honors in three seasons, including All-America honoree Jordan Hicks. The Longhorns averaged at least three sacks per game each season under Jean-Mary, and the Texas defense ranked in the top 12 in sacks all three years.
In addition to being among the nation’s best in sacks, the 2016 Longhorns were 16th in team tackles for loss (7.6). Texas ranked eighth in turnover margin in 2015 (0.92) and 11th in passing yards allowed (184.2) in 2014. A pair of Texas players – Lorenzo Maluldin and Deiontrez Mount – were also selected in the NFL Draft.
From 2010-13, Jean-Mary was an assistant head coach and linebackers coach at the University of Louisville. The Cardinals claimed the Big East Championship in both 2011 and 2012 and had the fourth-best winning percentage in the country (.885) from 2012-13 after going 23-3. Louisville’s 2013 defense led all FBS programs in rushing defense (80.7), team sacks (3.31) and total defense (251.5) and ranked second in scoring defense (12.1) and turnover margin (1.31). Five players were selected in the NFL Draft during his second stint with the Cardinals – DB Calvin Pryor, DB Johnny Patrick, DL Marcus Smith, DL Greg Scruggs and LB Preston Brown.
From 2004-09, Jean-Mary led the linebackers at Georgia Tech. In five of his six seasons, the Yellow Jackets defense was among the top in the nation in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense. The team ranked in the top 30 in each of those categories in five of the six seasons Jean-Mary was in Atlanta. The 2007 squad led the nation in sacks and was second in tackles for loss. In 2006, the Yellow Jackets limited the opposition to just 18.4 points per game and 104.8 rushing yards per game.
Georgia Tech allowed just 103.9 rushing yards per game and held their opponents to a 28.7 percent conversion rate on third down in 2005. Linebackers Gerris Wilkinson (2005) and Philip Wheeler (2008) both went on to be drafted in the third rounds of their respective NFL Drafts.
His first full-time position in coaching came at North Alabama when Jean-Mary served as a coach for the secondary in 2003. The Lions went 13-2, won the Gulf South Conference Championship and clinched a spot in the semifinals of the 2003 NCAA Division II playoffs. The North Alabama defense held the opposition to 14.1 points per game, which ranked sixth nationally in Division II.
Jean-Mary began his career with a pair of graduate assistant positions. He was part of the South Carolina defense under Lou Holtz from 2001-02. Prior to that position, he was a strength and conditioning graduate assistant for the 2000 season at Louisville.
A 1998 graduate of Appalachian State, Jean-Mary was a four-year linebacker on the Mountaineers football team.
Aaron Henry Named Pat and Jana Eilers Defensive Backs Coach, Pass Game Coordinator
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Football program has announced that Aaron Henry has joined the coaching staff as the Pat and Jana Eilers Defensive Backs Coach and Pass Game Coordinator.
Henry enters his 13th season of coaching in 2026 and has experience as a defensive coordinator and positional coaching responsibilities as a defensive backs, cornerbacks and safeties coach in multiple stints in the college coaching ranks. He most recently served as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at the University of Illinois.
In 2025, Henry mentored eight of Illinois’ 11 defensive starters to All-Big Ten honors. All-Big Ten First Team honoree Gabe Jacas led the conference in sacks (11.0) during the regular season and was in the top ten among league defensive players in both forced fumbles and sack yards. The Fighting Illini wrapped up the season with a marquee defensive effort against No. 23 Tennessee in a Music City Bowl win. Illinois held the Tennessee offense, which was ranked fourth in the nation in yards per game, to a season-low 278 total yards.
The 2024 Illini tied the program record with 10 victories and were ranked No. 16 in the final AP Top 25 Poll of the season. The defensive unit ranked 10th among all FBS programs in 2024 with 15 forced fumbles while the team’s 24 sacks in Big Ten contests was tied for fifth in the conference. All-Big Ten First Team selection Xavier Scott was a semifinalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award in 2024 and ranked second in the conference in interceptions (4). Henry also mentored Jacas, TeRah Edwards, Dylan Rosiek and Matthew Bailey to All-Big Ten honors that season.
Henry was named as the defensive coordinator for Illinois ahead of the ReliaQuest Bowl in January 2023, becoming the youngest coordinator in the Big Ten. During the regular season in 2023, Henry and the Fighting Illini defense saw defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton earn Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Newton was a consensus All-American in his final season at Illinois and was a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. A finalist for the Nagurski Trophy in 2023, Newton led Big Ten defensive tackles with 7.5 sacks and was seventh in the nation at his position in tackles (52) during the regular season.
Henry served as the defensive backs coach for Illinois in the 2022 and 2021 seasons. The 2022 Fighting Illini defense led the nation in scoring defense (12.8 ppg), interceptions (24), total takeaways (32) and passing efficiency defense (92.64). Illinois ranked second in the nation in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (9) and fewest yards per passing attempt (5.4) that same season. The 173.8 yards per game allowed by the Illini was eighth among FBS programs in 2022, and Illinois ranked ninth in third down defense (30.1 percent) to end the season.
The 2022 season was also marked by the success of cornerback Devon Witherspoon under Henry’s mentorship. Witherspoon became Illinois’ first defensive back to earn consensus All-America honors in 2022 and was the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. A Paycom Jim Thorpe Award finalist, Witherspoon was named the Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year in 2022. Witherspoon went on to be named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks. Defensive backs Jartavius Martin and Sydney Brown were also selected in the second and third rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, respectively. Illinois was the only team in the country to have three defensive backs chosen in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in 2023.
Henry played a large part in Illinois’ wins over nationally-ranked Penn State and Minnesota in the 2021 season. The Illini were ranked 31st in scoring defense, 31st in third down defense and 52nd in total defense among FBS programs at the end of the season. In Big Ten play, Illinois led the league in fewest passing yards allowed during the 2021 season. The defense was in the top five in the Big Ten in touchdowns allowed (t-3rd), scoring defense (4th) and yards allowed per game (5th) in Henry’s first year as the defensive backs coach.
In 2020, Henry served as the cornerbacks coach at Vanderbilt. The cornerbacks coach at NC State in 2019 and 2018, Henry first joined the Wolfpack coaching staff as the safeties coach in 2017. NC State was third in the ACC in red zone defense and fourth in the conference in scoring defense in 2018.
Henry was the defensive backs coach for Rutgers in 2016, which also marked his first full-time coaching position. The Scarlet Knights had the sixth-ranked red zone defense in the nation (0.727) in 2016. Rutgers was fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed per game (186.5), which also ranked 18th nationally. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant defensive coach at Arkansas for the 2015 and 2014 seasons.
A 2011 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Henry was an All-Big Ten First Team selection and a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy in his final season. A four-year letterwinner for the Badgers, he finished his playing career with seven interceptions and 181 tackles at Wisconsin. Henry earned his bachelor’s degree in consumer affairs from Wisconsin in 2011.
