Official: Brent Key is Georgia Tech Football's Head Coach

[stech81]

My parents are mutt fans and they both really like Key and told me they hoped he got the job for my sake as a fan lol

I'm sorry did you run away from home at an early age.

 

[BCJacket]

I think, in the grand scheme, we might have gotten lucky to get Brent Key as our coach. Seven years ago he was one of the hottest up-and-coming coach names out there. UCF had him under contract as the named coach in waiting. UAB tried to hire him away. Key was a major part of the UCF staff that built UCF into a G5 powerhouse, a 12-1 Fiesta bowl winner in 2013.

In 2015, the wheels completely fell off at UCF for a lot of reasons. O'Leary was rumored to be retiring after the 2014 season. Key would've become HC. Instead, O'Leary decided to stay. But he also took on the role of AD. Some assistants did retire/leave and GOL shuffled his staff. Key was made OC. The offense was decimated by injuries, GOL was distracted, the team never gelled, rumors were that GOL got involved in the offensive play calling... Caveats aside, Key's offense was absolutely awful and he owns that. It was a major setback to his career. UCF cleaned house after the season.

Scott Frost inherited the foundation Key and GOL had laid at UCF and went undefeated and claimed "National Champions" in just two years. (Frost's results at Nebraska support the idea that he benefitted hugely from what he inherited at UCF.) I believe there's a scenario where GOL does retire after 2014. Key becomes HC of UCF in 2015, instead of OC. 2015 is still a rough transition year but not as horrific. Then it's Key, not Frost, who leads UCF to great things over the next few years. Key is the hottest G5 coach name and gets offered big time factory jobs. Tech never has a chance to bring him home.

Even after the UCF disaster, Key was hired by Saban to join possibly the single greatest staff in college football history at Bama in 2016. He was recognized as the #2 and #1 recruiter in the nation in consecutive years. He probably could've stayed on staff at Bama, winning awards, until his reputation was rehabbed enough to get a good HC job. Because, that's what Saban assistants do.

Instead, he took the call to come home to Ma Tech to join you-know-who's staff. We all know what happened here. But Key still had other schools trying to hire him away as an assistant. (Key has a fantastic reputation within the 'coaching fraternity'.) We weren't favored in a single remaining game when he took over. He gutted a team that had every reason to quit to a .500 record over the final 8 games. They competed against some tough opponents and never quit. I believe that the wins over Pitt and UNC were real indications of what he can accomplish. UVA is an example of what can happen when everything goes wrong. But

Except for 2015 and being part of C**** abject disaster here, Key has been an award winning successful highly regarding ball coach throughout his career. He's gotten some unlucky breaks. Perhaps, made some poor decisions. But failure is a part of growth. Saban and O'Leary, among the greatest coaches at recruiting and managing assistants, valued Key highly. His players love him. Brent is a dadgum ball coach. He has the aptitude to be one of the greats. He has the desire to make Tech great. I believe in Brent Key.

 

[GTRambler]

I’m very happy that Brent Key got the job. He is just the best man for the job, all things considered.

I’m not buckling up for instant success, though. I’m buckling up for slow and steady progress over the next several years on two important things:

- The football team’s W-L record; and

- The financial condition of the GTAA.

Both of these things will take a lot of hard work, and patience.

 

[4shotB]

Of course you can be realistically confident that a coach with a proven record of success at multiple programs would have better than a coach with no record of success. That is nonsensical to suggest otherwise.

While I get this train of thought, how many examples are there of guys who were successful at school x and y but then fail at z. Success doesn't always translate for a myriad of reasons. If this process were linear, the process of hiring would be simple.

 

[4shotB]

I'm sorry did you run away from home at an early age.

As a high school teacher I have found that most people do not have whatever it takes to overcome a bad start in life. Apparently BGW21 has that rarest of traits that allowed him to NOT be defined by his circumstances. Kudos to this young man. He will go far in life with that mindset.

 

[Vespidae]

While I get this train of thought, how many examples are there of guys who were successful at school x and y but then fail at z. Success doesn't always translate for a myriad of reasons. If this process were linear, the process of hiring would be simple.

The top companies usually hire a CEO who has experienced failure at least once. They tend not to panic, work the problem and may even have learned and adapted from the experience. People who never experience a setback often freak out under adversity.

To me, the ideal coach is one who has experienced success AND failure and adapted to it.

 

[g0lftime]

I think that the handful of people who are angry at the hire don't understand budgets and constraints and are therefore directing their ire at Key as the scapegoat. If we should be angry with anyone, it's the previous administrations, both at the school level and the department level (GTAA) that have led us to our current position. I can and would understand and support those feelings. But given our financial realities, I could not be happier with this decision. I hope Key succeeds to the level that he is both wanted by the unlimited budget schools but we can then afford to keep him as well.

We sure don't need to have another coaches buyout right now. We still have Collins on the books and any other coach rather than Key would have required a buyout from that contract. Key was the right hire at this time. Not a splash hire but he has proven to be competent and did a turnaround in mid season with another coaches players and staff. He changed the culture of the team very quickly and it is obvious that the players love him as their coach. Next year would likely have been the beginning of a rebuild with a new coach, but Key has already started the rebuild this year. I am already planning to come to the first game next year.

 

[Bleedwhiteandgold]

I would hope that McCollum would reconsider now that Key has been selected but there may be more factors than just a head coach change. His decision may not even be related to football. These kids have a life outside being a football player. I do hope he decides to stay.

Agree, but man, outside of Gibbs last year, we need to try and find a way to keep him. Kid is a ball player and a difference maker on the O, Brent needs to tell him he's going to get the rock alot more with a new OC.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

While I get this train of thought, how many examples are there of guys who were successful at school x and y but then fail at z. Success doesn't always translate for a myriad of reasons. If this process were linear, the process of hiring would be simple.

I never said anything about being absolutely certain that other coaches would be better. I said reasonably confident. Do you agree one can be reasonably confident that a coach with a proven record of success at multiple programs would be better than a coach with no record of success as a head coach anywhere?

 

[wvGT11]

Honestly, just think had Weinke, Long or thacker had been hired originally as next in line after Collins left, we probably wouldn't end up with Key as HC.

 

[orientalnc]

Of course you can be realistically confident that a coach with a proven record of success at multiple programs would have better than a coach with no record of success. That is nonsensical to suggest otherwise.

Key is our head coach and I support him unconditionally, but it is not outlandish to believe that other coaches with records of success might have been better. Just because there is value in Key does not mean we could not have obtained greater value in another coach.

Analogy:

You have been eating your mom's banana pudding for years and it's always been good, so you will assume it's better than the pudding you have never tasted? That is a false tautology.

 

[g0lftime]

Honestly, just think had Weinke, Long or thacker had been hired originally as next in line after Collins left, we probably wouldn't end up with Key as HC.

Thacker came with Collins from Temple. He was a one year DC there before he came to GT. He was LB position coach before. My complaint with Thacker has always been he was not ready to be a DC at the P5 level. Once he got the Collins leash off, he definitely had better performance this year. The secondary was better under Tillman and White made a huge difference in pass rushing. Not sure if it was Thacker as much as the players we were able to put on the field.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I never said anything about being absolutely certain that other coaches would be better. I said reasonably confident. Do you agree one can be reasonably confident that a coach with a proven record of success at multiple programs would be better than a coach with no record of success as a head coach anywhere?

Actually, I don't even think it's that simple. There are far more ex-coaches that got fired than there are active and retired successful coaches. Most of those ex-coaches had a proven record of success somewhere that got them hired, but that didn't translate to the new job. FWIW, I think Fritz would have done well here. I think Key will be the better coach long term though, and I am glad he's on our sideline.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

Analogy:

You have been eating your mom's banana pudding for years and it's always been good, so you will assume it's better than the pudding you have never tasted? That is a false tautology.

Nah.

Analogy.

You are hiring an executive chef. You can hire one that has been a successful executive chef at multiple smaller successful restaurants or hire a sous chef who has no experience being an executive chef in any successful restaurant. Who would you be more confident would be a better hire as executive chef?

 

[Buzz1126]

Why can't I buy short-sleeve hoodies on the website?

 

[g0lftime]

Why can't I buy short-sleeve hoodies on the website?

Its a DIY project.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Why can't I buy short-sleeve hoodies on the website?

This is the question of the day right here!!!

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Why can't I buy short-sleeve hoodies on the website?

Now I'm gonna have to procure one to wear to the first game next year.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

Actually, I don't even think it's that simple. There are far more ex-coaches that got fired than there are active and retired successful coaches. Most of those ex-coaches had a proven record of success somewhere that got them hired, but that didn't translate to the new job. FWIW, I think Fritz would have done well here. I think Key will be the better coach long term though, and I am glad he's on our sideline.

What is success/failure rate of successful head coaches that move up a level vs those that have never been a successful head coach anywhere.

Again, is it crazy to suggest that one could be reasonably confident that a coach that has been successful at multiple programs would be better than a coach with no record of success at any program?

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

What is success/failure rate of successful head coaches that move up a level vs those that have never been a successful head coach anywhere.

Again, is it crazy to suggest that one could be reasonably confident that a coach that has been successful at multiple programs would be better than a coach with no record of success at any program?

No one said it's crazy, just that it's not as black and white as you seem to be painting it. And it doesn't really apply to Key anyways, he's been successful through 8 games as GTs HC.