# Brent Key

Donald Brent Key (born August 1, 1978) is an American college football coach and former player. Key is the head football coach at his alma mater, Georgia Tech as of November 2022.

## Playing career

Key grew up in Trussville, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. He attended and played football at Hewitt-Trussville High School. Key played guard at Georgia Tech under coach George O'Leary, starting all four years. During his four-year playing career, Georgia Tech would go on to four straight bowl appearances, finish the season in the AP poll top-25 four times, beat rival Georgia three straight times, and rank No. 1 nationally in total offense in 1998. He was voted team captain and all-ACC as a senior in 2000.

## Coaching career
### Early career

Key served as a graduate assistant under George O'Leary at Georgia Tech during the 2001 season. He would later join O'Leary at UCF. Key also served as tight ends and running backs coach at Western Carolina in 2004.

#### UCF

Key was hired in 2004 as a graduate assistant for UCF in 2005. At various points during his tenure with UCF, Key was the offensive coordinator, assistant head coach, offensive line coach, special teams coach, tight ends coach, and recruiting coordinator for the UCF Knights. After the 2012 season, Key was promoted to assistant head coach and then to offensive coordinator following the 2013 season. While as an assistant at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Key was selected to be the heir apparent to George O'Leary following his retirement. Following the 2013 season in which UCF won the Fiesta Bowl, Key reportedly declined the head coaching job at UAB to remain with the Knights. Key left UCF following their 0-12 2015 season, which would be O'Leary's last with the team. In 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2020 Key was nominated for the Broyles Award, given for the top assistant in college football.

#### Alabama

On February 15, 2016, Key was hired as the offensive line coach at the University of Alabama, replacing Mario Cristobal. Cristobal remained on staff as tight ends coach. Cam Robinson, Ross Pierschbacher, and Jonah Williams are a few of Key’s linemen who would go on to be named All-Americans during his tenure at Bama. Alabama would go on to win one national championship (2017) and two SEC championships (2016, 2018). During his tenure, Key was widely regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in college football. Offensive lines coached by Key have been a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the top offensive line in the nation, three times in his career.

### Georgia Tech

Key left Alabama for his alma mater Georgia Tech in 2019, serving as assistant head coach and offensive line coach under newly hired head coach Geoff Collins. Following a 10-22 record over 4 seasons, Collins was fired in early 2022 and Key was named interim head coach. He went 4–4 as interim head coach, with notable wins over #24 Pittsburgh and #13 North Carolina. Because of the team’s improvement during his tenure, the interim tag was taken off on November 29 as Key was named Georgia Tech’s 21st head football coach.
In 2023, Key led Georgia Tech to a 7-6 record, reaching its first bowl game and achieving its first winning season since 2018. This season was notable for a homecoming upset of #17 North Carolina and a last second victory over #17 Miami, in which Georgia Tech scored a touchdown with 2 seconds left in the game following former colleague Mario Cristobal's decision to not take a knee in the final 40 seconds of the 4th quarter.
Key began the 2024 season in Dublin, Ireland with an upset victory over the #10 Florida State Seminoles. Key and the Yellow Jackets started the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2016 season. After struggling with numerous injuries including quarterback Haynes King, running back Jamal Haynes, and linebacker Kyle Efford, the Jackets would later upset previously-undefeated #4 Miami at Bobby Dodd Stadium at homecoming. With the win over Miami, Georgia Tech became bowl eligible for two consecutive seasons for the first time since 2013-2014. The following week, in a thrilling Thursday night win over NC State in which backup quarterback Aaron Philo scored a go-ahead touchdown with 22 seconds left, Georgia Tech clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013-2014.

## Personal life

Brent Key earned his degree in management from Georgia Tech in 2001. During his time at UCF, he met his wife, Danielle Key, who worked on the marketing team for the university's athletic department. Together, they have a daughter named Harper.

## Head coaching record

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs |
| Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2022–present) ||||||
| 2022 | Georgia Tech | 4–4 | 4–3 | 4th (Coastal) | |
| 2023 | Georgia Tech | 7–6 | 5–3 | T–4th | W Gasparilla |
| 2024 | Georgia Tech | 7–6 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Birmingham |
| Georgia Tech: | Georgia Tech: | 18–16 | 14–9 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 18–16 | | | |
* ↑ Key replaced Geoff Collins after four games