Brent Key doubles down on commitment to Tech: ‘I’m not letting this (job) go.’

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key doubled down Friday on his commitment to remain Tech’s football coach.

Key made national headlines Thursday when he was asked about rumors he is being targeted by, or thinking about leaving for, other programs. The third-year Tech coach, who said then, “slice me open and see what colors I bleed,” was asked Friday on 92.9 The Game about those Thursday remarks.

“People ask me about my job, I’m gonna tell ‘em what I feel,” Key said. “Don’t forget now, I left the University of Alabama (in 2019) after, what, three straight national championship games, to come back here for the same position (offensive line coach) basically? Now that I’ve got an opportunity, and I’m so fortunate to be able to sit in this seat, I’m not letting this thing go.”

Key has won 26 games since taking over at his alma mater in October of 2022, first on an interim basis and then as the program’s full-time leader when hired at the end of that year. His current team is 8-1 and is off until playing Boston College on Nov. 15.

A former offensive lineman for the Jackets, Key said a big reason for his commitment to Tech is the continued support from the university and the athletic department toward his program.

“As long as I feel like we can win championships, and I’m not talking about just conference championships, y’all, I’m talking about as long as we are supported — and the vision that Dr. (Angel) Cabrera has, and now with Ryan (Alpert) being the athletic director, the alignment we have at Georgia Tech is second to none. It’s second to none,” Key said. “As long as that continues, as long as we feel like we’re in position to win championships, go Jackets!”

Tech, No. 17 in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, went 4-4 in Key’s first eight games in 2022. He inherited a team constructed by former coach Geoff Collins, who was fired after the first four games of the 2022 season.

Key’s second team in 2023 alternated losses and wins until its first and only winning streak of that year, back-to-back victories against North Carolina and Virginia, respectively. The Jackets finished 6-6 and then beat Central Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl for the program’s first bowl win since 2016.

In 2024, Tech started the season 5-2 before star quarterback Haynes King injured his throwing shoulder. The Jackets went 2-4 over the final six, including a loss to Vanderbilt in the Birmingham Bowl. Key received a contract extension in December.

This season’s team was 8-0 overall and 5-0 in ACC play until a loss at North Carolina State. But Tech is still firmly in the mix for an ACC title game berth as well as a spot in the 12-team CFP.

And Key said Saturday’s loss at N.C. State won’t derail his mission to make Tech one of college football’s elite programs.

“I think it was (Thursday) I was asked about the future and all that kind of bull crap that you guys love to talk about, but I said, ‘We worked to build this thing for the next 15 or 20 years, for the long term.’ And I want the fans to understand that. I want them to be all-in as I’m all-in,” Key said. “That has to take place. That’s part of college football. That’s part of building your program. That’s part of recruiting. It all goes together.