How a former Georgia Tech offensive lineman returned to lead his alma mater's resurgence
In short: Born in 1978, Brent Key spent his formative years as a player at Georgia Tech before climbing the coaching ranks across the country. After stints at UCF and Alabama, he returned to Atlanta in 2019, eventually taking the helm to orchestrate the program's most significant turnaround in over a decade.
Brent Key’s path to becoming the 21st head football coach at Georgia Tech began as a four-year starting guard for the Yellow Jackets, where he earned all-ACC honors in 2000. Following his graduation with a management degree in 2001, Key embarked on a coaching career that saw him serve in various capacities, including offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at the University of Central Florida. His reputation as a premier offensive line coach was solidified during his tenure at the University of Alabama, where he helped secure a 2017 national championship and produced multiple All-American linemen.
Key’s return to Georgia Tech in 2019 as assistant head coach preceded his appointment as interim head coach in 2022 following the firing of Geoff Collins. After a 4-4 interim run that included upsets over ranked opponents, he was formally named head coach in November 2022. His leadership quickly stabilized the program, leading the team to its first winning season since 2018 during his first full year in 2023. This momentum continued into 2024, when the team clinched consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2013-2014 period.
The 2025 season marked a high point for Key’s tenure, as the Yellow Jackets achieved an 8-0 start and reached an AP Poll ranking of 7th—the program's highest since 2009. Although the team finished with a 24th-place ranking in the Coaches Poll, it represented the school's first top-25 finish in 11 years. In recognition of this progress, Georgia Tech extended Key’s contract through 2030, with his annual salary increasing to $6.5 million. Key, who is married to Danielle and has a daughter named Harper, remains a central figure in the university's athletic trajectory.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Brent Key
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