Brent Key on instilling a culture of toughness at Georgia Tech

awbuzz

Helluva Manager
Staff member
Messages
12,285
Location
Marietta, GA
Video from AJC

Relaxed interview and a picture from the past. Credits mom for inspiring "toughness". Some softball questions, in a more subdued interview one on one setting.
1677165477032.png


 

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
Messages
12,014
You’re a little late….
https://gtswarm.com/threads/key’s-staff.26174/page-97#post-936248
 

GT33

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,282
Hallelujah! Whatever our record since I arrived on The Flats, the one thing I could count on was our team played hard. It’s good to hear we’re going to play some blue collar football again. Maybe the 4 years of misery is going to come to an end?
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,779
You’re a little late….
https://gtswarm.com/threads/key’s-staff.26174/page-97#post-936248
Perhaps its worth a breakout from "keys staff".

Can we measure and track this toughness?
Playing when hurt? I doubt it. Maybe its hustle- Kind of like Glanville used to yell - "fastest guy up wins".

Under TFP I thought the guys pretty tough before - just a step slow. They would execute but at a bad angle ( mlb got dragged 3 yds) that made contact be ineffective. I think Key changing a part of practice to be more like game conditions made a major improvement.

Guess it will be an eye ball test. Folks in the stands w binoculars can tell

I propose we not keep compsring to TFG. Suggest we start comparing next year to how we finished ladt year.
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,792
Location
Huntsville,Al
Tough is what we absolutely were not under CBK’s feckless predecessor. Teams reflect their coach’s values, and Key is telling us all what he values. It’s a fine theme for a rebuilding program - you may not win today, but you can (and for Key, must) always play tough.

Friends, I think we are in for some fun this season.
When Key made the comment about now scrimmaging during week, I knew he was serious and the culture was going to change. AND--that Spring "game " touch football crap was a great example of that.
 

takethepoints

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,146
He may have took a shot at TFG by saying "culture is one of the most overused words in football"



Love it.
Boy, is he ever right. Number two is philosophy.

What people are actually talking about here is, roughly, management style (culture) and organizational approach (philosophy). I think the one thing that will distinguish Key's team is that they will be in your face on each play and that the team will use an approach that translates that into play on the field. That has already resulted in a breakeven record last year after Key took over and bids fair to get to 7 wins (provided the QB situation stabilizes) next year.

Well, let's hope so anyway.
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,779
When Key made the comment about now scrimmaging during week, I knew he was serious and the culture was going to change. AND--that Spring "game " touch football crap was a great example of that.
Forget the past.
We are what we do from today forward

Its how fast and how long we get better.

Can't get better if we are looking back. The sooner we forget how bad TGF was the greater we can become.


Opening day we may have scheme issues with UL but we can claw and scratch for a whole game. I am fired up.

I think we will start the year with toughness and grit. I believe KEY will reguire more grit each week.

Then going forward- Key must demand a big % improvement per year in each area every year. We can accept no improvement in one area for one year, but then deman30 double % improvement the next year (or changes are required).

After this year I expect each position group to have playing ready depth and quality depth in the pipeline. We need to grow our own in all except QB and WR.
We want to be known as gt - the school w tough, talabted position groups were a back 5 star qb/Wr from mega p5 can come and shine.

FmGt has to figure out how to have 5th year seniors- especially the ol.
 

Southern psu fan

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
428
Location
Temple ga
When Key made the comment about now scrimmaging during week, I knew he was serious and the culture was going to change. AND--that Spring "game " touch football crap was a great example of that.
I remember when George Godsey was coming off an injury and coach O’Leary had him doing full contact tackling drills and this was our starting Quarterback. Brent Key comes from a tough background in football and that’s what his team will be. I agree with Cracker Jacket, we got a lot of good tough football coming to Ga Tech and it’s going to be fun.
 
Last edited:

Ramble1885

proud sidewalk fan
Messages
2,004
Location
Atlanta
I remember when George Godsey was coming off an injury and coach O’Leary had him doing full contact tackling drills and this was our starting Quarterback. Brent Key comes from a tough background in football and that’s what his team will be. I agree with Cracker Jacket, we got a lot of good tough football coming to Ga Tech and it’s going to be fun.
Win or lose, we’re gonna look and play like GEORGIA TECH again.
 

Heisman's Ghost

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,944
Location
Albany Georgia
Perhaps its worth a breakout from "keys staff".

Can we measure and track this toughness?
Playing when hurt? I doubt it. Maybe its hustle- Kind of like Glanville used to yell - "fastest guy up wins".

Under TFP I thought the guys pretty tough before - just a step slow. They would execute but at a bad angle ( mlb got dragged 3 yds) that made contact be ineffective. I think Key changing a part of practice to be more like game conditions made a major improvement.

Guess it will be an eye ball test. Folks in the stands w binoculars can tell

I propose we not keep compsring to TFG. Suggest we start comparing next year to how we finished ladt year.
I don't know about how tough this team will be but during the Black Watch years, I had a sideline pass for a game against Duke, I think it was. Anyway, on a play that was five yards away, I saw and heard Ted Roof and Pat Swilling damn near decapitate a Blue Devil running back in one of those one guy hits high and the other hits low kind of deals. The runner managed to get to his feet and hobble towards the Duke bench. I can't remember if he made it or not but he did not play another down that game. Scary.
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,792
Location
Huntsville,Al
I don't know about how tough this team will be but during the Black Watch years, I had a sideline pass for a game against Duke, I think it was. Anyway, on a play that was five yards away, I saw and heard Ted Roof and Pat Swilling damn near decapitate a Blue Devil running back in one of those one guy hits high and the other hits low kind of deals. The runner managed to get to his feet and hobble towards the Duke bench. I can't remember if he made it or not but he did not play another down that game. Scary.
yep-When that happens the Rback usually on the next run starts to flinch and not run hard.I know from experience.
 
Top