ATLANTA — It’s official: Brent Key will move from interim head coach to usher Georgia Tech Football into a new era as the program’s leader.
The Georgia Tech alumnus was named the program’s 21st head coach on Tuesday after “exemplary performance as interim head coach,” a news release reads.
Key was named interim after the dismissal of former head coach Geoff Collins and athletic director Todd Stansbury. Georgia Tech wasted no time hiring J Batt, former executive deputy director of athletics at Alabama to replace Stansbury.
Collins struggled, compiling a 10-28 record since taking over the team after legendary Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson in 2019. Collins never finished a season with more than three wins – a record Key already broke in his short tenure as interim head coach.
He’s taking over the program after leading the Yellow Jackets to a 4-4 record over the final eight games of the season as interim head coach. Two of those wins were over nationally ranked teams; Key also led the team to a win in his first game as interim head coach, just days after Collins’ departure.
“As an alum, he understands and cares deeply about this place and our extraordinary student-athletes. He’s not only incredibly competitive but will do everything he can to make sure students grow as athletes, professionals and human beings,” Georgia Tech President Dr. Ángel Cabrera said in a news release. Cabrera also thanked athletics director J. Batt for assisting in the national search and making “sure we found the right football head coach.”
The Tech alum had been an assistant coach for four seasons and was Alabama’s offensive line coach before returning to Tech. He also spent nearly a decade at UCF working his way up in his coaching stint. He becomes the fifth Tech alumnus to serve as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach – he played offensive line for the team from 1997 through 2000.
“I am so proud and grateful to be the head coach at my alma mater, Georgia Tech,” Key said in a prepared statement. “I can’t thank President Cabrera, J and everyone that had a hand in the search enough for the faith that they have in me to lead our program. Like I’ve said many times over the past two months, I love this team, and I couldn’t be more excited to be their head coach. We will work unbelievably hard to make our fans, alumni and former players very proud of this program. Thank you to everyone who has supported our team over the past two months, and we thank you in advance for your continued support as we begin working towards next season. Go Jackets!”