College football is littered with former players as head coaches, even some former players who coach at their alma maters. One of them is Georgia Tech’s Brent Key, who was an offensive lineman for the Yellow Jackets before becoming their head coach over 20 years.
When comparing Key to other players who would later become coaches, where would he rank? In a recent article from ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, he ranked all college football head coaches from when they were players and had Key at No. 25:
“Anyone who has followed Key’s coaching career knows he’s an unapologetic ex-offensive lineman who loves to RUN THE BAWL. He started at guard from 1997 to 2000 under coach George O’Leary, and earned All-ACC honors as a senior, when he also captained the team. Georgia Tech finished ranked in the AP Top 25 in all four of Key’s seasons there.”
Key was a four-year starter in his four seasons as a student-athlete at Georgia Tech (1997-2000). While making 44 straight starts at right guard, Key was a part of a senior class that led Georgia Tech to four-straight bowl appearances for the first time since 1953-56. As a sophomore in 1998, he helped lead Tech to a 10-2 record and a share of the ACC championship. During his junior campaign in 1999, the Jackets ranked No. 1 nationally in total offense (509.0 ypg). He was voted a team captain and all-ACC as a senior in 2000. In all, he was a key cog in an offensive front that helped the Yellow Jackets lead the ACC in rushing three times.
No. 1 on the list is not going to be a surprise to anyone. Rittenberg ranked Colorado head coach Deion Sanders at No. 1. Key is going to face the Hall of Fame defensive back to start the 2025 season, as Georgia Tech travels to Colorado to face Sanders and the Buffaloes.
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