- 2 days ago
Georgia Tech head football coach Brent Key joins Dukes & Bell to discuss the state of his team after spring practices wrapped up on The Flats. They also talked about the rivalry with Georgia, lessons learned from 2025, and the new-look staff for this season.
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00:00Here on Sports Radio 92.9 The Game, more on our thoughts about what we think needs to happen tonight
00:04for the Hawks to get a Game 6 victory and take this to 7.
00:07Also on the way, our buddy Mike Griffin, Dog Nation, will talk to us, but right now we've got to
00:11talk to a friend of the show.
00:13We are big supporters of Brent Key and the job he's doing at Georgia Tech, and prior to him even
00:17getting the job, and we think he's doing a kick-ass job there.
00:21Coach, it's good to have you on.
00:23Look, a lot of people talking about Tech football because, you know, Keelan Rutledge goes in the draft, and everybody's
00:28talking about,
00:28oh, this is going to be the resurgence of, you know, Tech putting these kinds of players and skilled players
00:34into the league.
00:35I'm just curious, like, as you see this evolving and the team that you currently have, like, what are you
00:41telling your players?
00:42And is that something you stress?
00:44Because with this NIL world, Coach, I don't know what the selling point is for guys at this point.
00:50Oh, shoot, man.
00:52First off, I appreciate you guys having me on, but, you know, I'm sitting here doing meetings with the recruiting
00:58staff
00:58all day today and showing the guaranteed money in the NFL draft, you know, rounds one through seven.
01:06And I'm like, you start looking at round five, six, and seven, and these guys, they're all making more in
01:10college right now.
01:11Even some of the fourth-round, you know, fourth-round guys and third-round guys.
01:14So, I mean, you know, that's why so many guys are staying in college right now.
01:18You know, but as far as selling point, I mean, we do.
01:21We sell kids that are coming in, whether recruits or transfers, being developed all around, you know, on the field,
01:27off the field.
01:29And at the end of the day, we want guys that we come in here and we can develop them
01:33to be first-round picks
01:34and, you know, reach their dreams after football, whether it be being a CEO or president or, you know,
01:41president of a company or, you know, own their own business, whatever it is.
01:43We want those guys to be able to reach, you know, have high aspirations in everything they do.
01:48Always felt, Brent, with your background that, you know, you could be like a Pitt, you know, a Boston College,
01:52in addition to the skill position guys, but start churning out, you know, big-time linemen.
01:55And Keelan Rutledge, the stories that came out, you know, during his career there at Tech, just a tough guy.
02:00I mean, foot nearly loses his foot, he's playing with, like, metal sticking out of it,
02:03and you couldn't keep him off the field.
02:05Man, I'll tell you what, I mean, he's tough as hell now.
02:08I mean, the toughest I've ever coached, he's good of a player, teammate, leader, you know, everything.
02:13But, yeah, I mean, that is something we strive for.
02:16I mean, you know, we've had, I think, five line of scrimmage guys drafted in the last couple drafts,
02:20the last two or three years, and we want to raise that number up and continue that.
02:25That trend.
02:27And I think for the guys that we have on the roster right now that we've been able to bring
02:30in the last couple years
02:31that are developing here, you know, in addition to the guys we're recruiting,
02:35I feel pretty certain that will continue to happen.
02:39And at the same time, you know, continuing to elevate the skill positions
02:43and the size of those positions, you know, all around.
02:47And at the end of the day, I mean, you know, look, there's weight classes in boxing, you know,
02:51and fighting for a reason, right?
02:53I mean, you know, big guys are going to beat up little guys, you know, every time they get a
02:57chance.
02:57So, you know, you've got to recruit size and recruit the type of guys that can play in the National
03:04Football League
03:05if you want to have guys play in the National Football League.
03:06Yeah, that's a great point.
03:08Coach, while we're talking about the NFL, before we get to your team and spring ball
03:11and all the things that we're curious about, your thoughts on Haynes King.
03:14He signs with the Panthers, and look, Mike and I were talking about this, like,
03:18the kid's a football player, man.
03:20And, you know, the NFL allows itself to, you see these stories all the time where you go,
03:25I don't know, and a guy makes a team, and just because he can contribute,
03:29that's how I feel about Haynes King.
03:31How do you feel?
03:33Yeah, look, I mean, I think it says a lot about what Carolina thinks about him,
03:36you know, with the money they gave him, and as far as the signing bonus guaranteed money,
03:40I mean, looking at today, I think it's, you know, late fourth, fifth round money they gave him,
03:45you know, for coming there, and it also shows what type of demand he was in.
03:50And I tell guys all the time, I mean, when you have a chance to choose what organization you go
03:54to
03:55as a free agent, I mean, that's a lot of times a lot better than being a sixth or seventh
03:58round pick,
03:59you know, especially in his case, when in the quarterback position,
04:01when it's a singular position on the field, and they don't keep, and there's not many kept.
04:04So, look, I know who he is character-wise and how he works,
04:09and we all wish the best for him, because he is a football player.
04:13He adds value to the, not just the quarterback room, but the whole team.
04:17What's your quarterback battle looking like right now?
04:19Talk about the guys you brought in.
04:22Yeah, I mean, we have a good group of guys.
04:25They haven't played a lot of college football, bottom line.
04:27I mean, we don't have a guy in here that started a college football game.
04:30So, you know, we understand that, and we've been coaching the hell out of them
04:34the last, you know, six weeks we had during spring practice.
04:37And, you know, he's got George Godsey on one side of him and Chris Winkie on the other.
04:42So, I mean, I don't know if he could get coached at that position any better
04:46than they're being coached right now.
04:47But I've been really pleased with Alberto and his progression from when he first got here
04:52to then the first day of spring practice to now where he is now.
04:55I'm excited about him as our quarterback.
04:57I'm excited about the other guys we have along with him.
05:00I think it's going to be a strong room.
05:02It's just an inexperienced room right now.
05:03Is he anything like his older brother?
05:07I mean, they're related, guys.
05:09We don't even talk about those in the same.
05:11I mean, they're their individual person.
05:14He's his own player.
05:16You know, we don't talk about that.
05:18I'm not putting any pressure on him to try to live up to anything other than being the
05:21best he can be.
05:22I mean, whether it be following in Haynes' footsteps or his brother, that's a non-starter
05:27for me with him.
05:29And I'll say this.
05:29He's uber smart now.
05:31He has his ability to process.
05:33Is he giving you the leadership?
05:35Yeah, the leadership he has, his ability to process information on the field.
05:41And like I said, with Lincoln, Godsey, those two guys are high-level thinkers at the quarterback
05:47position that I've ever been around in my career.
05:50And he's right on pace with those guys.
05:52What were you excited about coming out of the spring, Coach?
05:55What do you feel really good about for your team?
05:58You talk about the inexperience, and we get that.
06:00That's just you guys got to play games.
06:02But what area do you feel good about?
06:04My kicker.
06:06Okay.
06:08And?
06:08No.
06:09I did.
06:10We all know how good Aiden is.
06:13He is.
06:13I think the biggest thing I was pleased with, you know, overall, is the fact we were able
06:21to really work and rep and develop a lot of young guys.
06:25We had some injuries in some spots.
06:26You guys, you know, post-season surgeries they had, and some guys that were out.
06:29And we were really able to spend a lot of time with some new guys and younger guys to
06:32develop the depth of our team.
06:34And look, if you want to play good football in November, December, and January, you better
06:37have good depth on your football team.
06:38But the position, the singular position on offense, I think the running back room is
06:44as good as I've been around a long time.
06:47Now, it's obviously not playing a game.
06:49But then on defense, the defensive line, I mean, that's a position that, again, I knew
06:54if we were going to take the next step as a program, we had to increase our ability,
07:00our depth, our size across the defensive front, and I believe we've done that.
07:06Talking with Brent Key, guys, Georgia Tech head coach with us.
07:08You're on the Sweet James Accident Attorney Hotline.
07:11Hey, man, the money, the money, the money.
07:14We just spent a lot of time last hour talking about, you know, trying to get the money you
07:17need to get things done.
07:19Are you getting everything you need from the boosters?
07:20And how does that work?
07:21Do you have conversations with some of the bigger boosters and say, look, here's a guy
07:24we're targeting?
07:25It's almost like, can you just reach a little bit deeper into your pocket?
07:28How does this whole process work, Brent?
07:31Yeah, look, I've got, I'm fortunate to have a lot of long-standing relationships with a lot
07:35of the guys, you know, boosters and alums here.
07:38Just from my time here and their friends also.
07:42So the relationship part is good, but, you know, I'm never going to sit here and say,
07:47yeah, we're great.
07:48We're set.
07:49I mean, we're always trying to be better.
07:50We're always trying to have more.
07:52But at the same time, you know, I want to be able to be very smart with the money and
07:57how we spend it because, I mean, I don't want to have, you know, an upward amount of players
08:03sit on the bench that are making a ton of money and you could be investing that somewhere
08:06else.
08:06I mean, it truly is money ball and, you know, being able to make the best assessments.
08:12And there's times you might not re-sign a guy.
08:15There's times you might not re-sign a guy who's, you know, asking for or commanding a certain
08:20number because you might be able to get three or four guys, you know, in his place, you
08:25know, to help the depth on the team.
08:27It's the same as the NFL looks at it.
08:29Yeah, and it is a great way to put it.
08:32Am I going to do this or am I going to help the overall makeup of my football team?
08:37Brent, were you on?
08:38But I did hear that Mike's got some deep pockets.
08:41He does.
08:42He does.
08:43Oh, he does.
08:44And have a second team, a second college team that he wants to really, really cheer for
08:48and be a part of and feel fully invested in.
08:52You know, I did have season tickets a couple years ago, Carl, because my wife went to Pitt.
08:55We saw FSU, Brent.
08:56So I still get the, I do get the emails.
08:58I will, in your honor, sir, I will help.
09:00I'll do my best.
09:02That's great.
09:03Way to put him on the spot, by the way.
09:05Hey, were you?
09:06We can discuss it at Lulu's.
09:07Hey, we can discuss it at Lulu's one night.
09:09If only.
09:09If only.
09:10My goodness.
09:11Right on.
09:11Were you, and I don't even know if this is the right word, but were you caught off guard
09:15by Buster leaving and what transpired there?
09:19Because, you know, coaches, we know you guys are in tune to what's going on and with
09:23your guys on your staff, but when you got the news, I mean.
09:28And again, you've hired, you know, one of our guys and Gotze and we think he's going
09:31to do a great job.
09:32And you talked about, you know, Winky being on the other side, but was that news?
09:36What, what, when you found out about it, where were you?
09:39What, what, how did you take it?
09:42No, I mean, look, that's part of the profession.
09:44I mean, you know, player, players come and go, coaches come and go.
09:48I mean, there's no animosity either way.
09:49I mean, with that, you know, I want everybody to do what they feel is best for themselves
09:53and I'm going to do what I feel is best for the program.
09:55So, I mean, look, I mean, those, that, that news comes way before we hear about it.
10:02It comes across.
10:03Yeah, I mean, look, to the agents and the representation, I mean, that's, that happens
10:07way, way early, guys.
10:10Well, the conversation, our guest coming up later this hour, Mike Griffith from Dog Nation,
10:13we got into a screaming argument last week, Brett, about, you know, is it helping or hurting
10:18Georgia to play Georgia Tech because of the strength of schedule and how it's viewed by
10:22the college football playoff committee and, you know, going to a nine-game conference
10:25schedule.
10:25Could you ever envision a football world where Tech's not playing Georgia?
10:30No, not at all.
10:33Look, and that's, that's not something I even want to think about.
10:38You know, that, that's something that it means so much to so many people here in the
10:42state of, in the state of Georgia and, and, and other places as well, just for college
10:46football.
10:47And, you know, we've closed a gap.
10:49We, we, we, we closed a big gap, but we, we haven't closed it all the way.
10:54And we've, we work every day to, to, to eliminate that gap.
10:58They go, look, and, you know, you know, what their view of it is and how it hurts or helps
11:02them, I don't know.
11:03And I don't really care.
11:05I mean, I know what it is here.
11:07I know what it is here for us and for me and other guys on the staff and other guys
11:11on
11:11this football team.
11:13Coach, what do you think?
11:14It's Brent Key, by the way, guys, Georgia Tech head football coach on the Sweet James
11:17Accident Attorney's Hotline.
11:18What, what do you think about the, the portal situation, man?
11:20I heard you say you were happy you don't have to, you know, watch these guys.
11:24You think we got this part of it right?
11:26I know there's still a lot that has to be adjusted, but did they get this part of it
11:30right?
11:31Yeah.
11:32Well, this is, it's, this thing's slowly settling itself out.
11:36You know, I've said it numerous times before, there's, there's, there's massive overall
11:39changes in college football, you know, every 15, 20 years.
11:43This one's just happened to have a, has a little bit, it's going to be a little bit longer
11:46timeframe and, and, and settling out because there's so many more things attached to it
11:51with settlement, you know, congressional, you know, settlements and lawsuits and all
11:55those things.
11:56But, you know, I think it's becoming the norm.
11:59I do think in the next 18 months or so, you will continue to see more changes and things
12:04becoming solidified.
12:05But look, at the end of the day, I mean, I can sit here and waste time and complain about
12:09it and waste time and talk about it.
12:11And I've got no, I've got no say in that.
12:14I mean, we, we, we might be able to voice an opinion, but at the end of the day, we're
12:18not
12:18making the decision.
12:19So it's just a waste of time for me to do that.
12:20I'm trying to find the best way I can every day to manage the situation we're in.
12:24Talking with Coach Brent Key, he mentioned back in the day, you know, it's fun.
12:28I know you're getting old, Carl.
12:29I want to get to talk to coaches that I bought tabs for, you know, and Shane Beamer was part
12:33of that as a, as a GA and Shane on my couch and Buckhead back in the day.
12:38Let me ask you this.
12:39Oh, man.
12:39Let me ask you this, Brent.
12:41If you ever need motivation, would you think about showing your tech squad, George Godsey, the
12:46Goose gets loose at Sanford Stadium?
12:48You could play his run to the theme of Chariots of Fire because it seemed like he was running
12:53in slow motion that day.
12:55Well, I mean, come on.
12:56He was smoking.
12:57It was 33 yards down the field, right behind that right guard.
13:00That's what it was.
13:00I mean, wait a minute, wait a minute.
13:01That was you.
13:03You cut, so you cut the Goose loose.
13:05He was, hey, we read, it wasn't like I blocked him.
13:08All right.
13:08We read the guy.
13:09So I just kind of like walled off the backer and he like took off behind me.
13:12So, but my big butt was chasing around in circles because it ends on in the stadium.
13:19But, no, look, you know, he's Coach Godsey here.
13:23I'm Coach Key.
13:24Those were years ago.
13:26Now our experiences here at the place and experiences winning, you know, certain games,
13:31big games, I think goes a long way.
13:35But, I mean, he's as good of a football coach as I've ever been around in my life.
13:39He's as smart of a football coach, not the smartest football coach I've ever been around
13:42in my life.
13:43And I'm just, obviously, he's a dear, dear friend.
13:47I mean, he was my best man at my wedding, you know, hosting one's official visit here.
13:53But we're on the field.
13:54I mean, we're co-workers.
13:55Right.
13:56And we're looking to find the best way to, you know, have our players perform at a high
14:00level and develop them.
14:01And, you know, what's happened, you know, years in the past is just that.
14:07Because it's the past.
14:09But, you know, not to say we don't still have some fun now, guys.
14:12Right on.
14:13Right on.
14:13I can only imagine.
14:14Look, and I'll say this, Coach, and you know this, but he brings a wealth of experience,
14:18man.
14:18All those years in the NFL, you know, we talked with George when he was in the league and,
14:23you know, the different schemes and things that were going on offensively and the players
14:26he's worked with.
14:27I totally agree with you.
14:28I think it's a great hire.
14:29And excited to see what this is going to look like for Georgia Tech.
14:32Like, as we talk about, you know, where the program is, I want to take you back to a moment
14:38and tell me what you learned from it.
14:40Because I know everybody was so excited about the Pitt game.
14:44And it was one of those moments where, you know, as a coach and even the guys that are
14:49coming back, Coach, what did you learn about that?
14:52Because it was like everything felt like it was going to happen in the right direction
14:56and then it didn't.
14:59Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, I've got to do a better job as the head football
15:02coach, right?
15:03I've got to put us in a better position as the head football coach.
15:05I've got to prepare the staff and keep my foot on the head of the staff better as the
15:10head football coach.
15:12At the end of the day, it felt me as the head coach, right?
15:14That's what I learned, right?
15:16And for a quarter and a half, we looked like we didn't even show up.
15:18Yeah.
15:19Yeah.
15:19All right.
15:21But, again, you learn from the past, you prepare for the future, and you correct your mistakes
15:26along the way.
15:27And I know that we...
15:28That's on me.
15:29I'm the head coach.
15:30All right.
15:30But no, we went back and looked at it, Brent.
15:32I don't know how it would play, but if they go to the 16-team playoff and, you know, you
15:36were on the cusp of the playoff.
15:38I mean, you know, that was...
15:39And again, you would be moving forward.
15:40How do you feel about that, by the way?
15:41Were you cool with the expansion or down with it?
15:44Yeah.
15:45I mean, I don't think it's fine.
15:46I mean, I like it what it is now.
15:48I think expanding to 16 would be great as well.
15:51Percentage-wise, kind of puts you in line with, you know, what the NCAA tournament
15:54and college baseball both do.
15:57With their tournaments, you know, percentage-wise of teams that play.
16:01So it kind of puts you in line with the other sports on the collegiate playing field.
16:07But whatever they decide to do, I mean, look, at the end of the day, there's only one left
16:10at the end, right?
16:10Right.
16:11And I don't care if you're, you know, 2 through 12 or 2 through 16.
16:15I mean, you still didn't win at all.
16:16And that's what our goal is every year.
16:18I mean, everyone's goal is to be the last man standing.
16:20Dude, we know you're a workaholic.
16:21Tell me you're going to take a little vacation.
16:23What's your summer look like?
16:24Come on, coach.
16:25Come on.
16:26Yeah, I mean, we got official visits this weekend.
16:28We got coaches on the road right now.
16:30We got camps all June.
16:32And then when July rolls around, yeah, I mean, that's the one thing.
16:35We do work hard here.
16:36I don't think that's any secret.
16:37I think people know that.
16:38And, you know, I just happened to bring in a couple of coordinators this year that I
16:45think they tried to challenge me for time working.
16:48I mean, those guys, they're tireless workers.
16:50I mean, Goose is as much of a grinder as I've ever been around in my life.
16:54But we came up the same way.
16:55We came up with the same man, right?
16:57And that's all we really know.
16:59So, but I do give them, I'll give everybody four weeks off when July gets here and tell everybody
17:05to get the bus out of the office and get away and go do what they do.
17:09And I'll be somewhere where the sun does shine and play some good live music.
17:16And, you know, whether it's early in the morning or late at night, it might just happen to be
17:19right on the state of Florida, state of Alabama line.
17:23I was just about to say, and you salvaged that, because I was going to say, wow, you're
17:27like those progressive ads.
17:28You've become George O'Leary, but that's good.
17:30Glad to see you down there in Florida, Bama.
17:32All right, brother.
17:33Hey, I'll be at the Florida, Bama, guys.
17:37Great catching up, brother.
17:38Take care, coach.
17:40Man, I appreciate you guys.
17:41Go Jackets.
17:42There it is.
17:43Brick key.
17:44All right.
17:44And by the way, I mean, like, look, we're having some fun because there's some looseness
17:48there because of the relationship.
17:50But, Mike, he's a real dude.
17:52And that's what people love about him.
17:54There's nothing phony about that.
17:55No, I mean, look, we're not going to go back to the previous regime.
17:58It was what it was.
17:59But players sense it.
18:01A real guy who's been there, and it's not slogans.
18:03It's putting the work in.
18:04So, again, hopefully we'll see them put some results up with, again, the Heisman Trophy
18:09winner's younger brother under center.
18:11Yeah.
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