Brent Key could be facing end of his time with Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brent Key could be facing the end of his time with Georgia Tech

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Nov 9, 2026 11:05 PM ET

There was a time, not all that long ago, when it seemed like Brent Key could be on the rise as a college football head coach.

After two 7-6 seasons in a row, his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team started last season 8-0 and got as high as No. 8 in the national rankings.

Key was also recruiting at a high level, and there was plenty of hype to go around in Atlanta. In the NIL and transfer portal era that has seen the Indiana Hoosiers become national champions, it seemed possible that Georgia Tech could be on the rise.

And then the Yellow Jackets lost four of their last five games to end the 2025 season, including a loss in the prestigious Pop-Tarts Bowl.

That slump continued into 2026, and now Key could be on the hot seat. He's certainly acting like a coach on the hot seat, at least. GT is 2-7 and riding a four-game losing streak that has seen the Yellow Jackets get outscored 161-79.

On Monday, Key let go of several coaches, including defensive coordinator Jason Semore, offensive line coach Allen Mogridge, outside linebackers/defensive ends coach Kyle Pope and wideouts coach Jafar Williams.

Sources: Georgia Tech has dismissed four staff members – defensive coordinator Jason Semore, defensive ends coach Kyle Pope, offensive line coach Allen Mogridge and wide receivers coach Jafar Williams. Georgia Tech is 2-7 this season and in last place in the ACC. pic.twitter.com/TLm62a3pWT
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 9, 2026

Is the beginning of the end for Brent Key?

While Key has led the Yellow Jackets to three straight winning seasons, there's a world in which 2026 could be their worst season since 1994, when they went 2-10.

Getting rid of assistants mid-season is also always a Hail Mary of sorts for a head coach. Occasionally, an assistant lower down on the totem pole gets elevated and becomes a revelation, and with that in mind, keep an eye on former NFL wideout DeAndre Hopkins. He's now the team's primary wideouts coach.

Former NFL star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will now serve as Georgia Tech’s primary wide receivers coach for the remainder of the season, per the team https://t.co/rYOYK0PBpF pic.twitter.com/l58GNPPwkJ
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 9, 2026

With that said, these kinds of assistant shakeups rarely lead to improvements with just three games left in the season.

It's more of a scapegoating strategy than anything else, but with games at 6-3 Clemson vs. No. 16 Wake Forest and at No. 2 Georgia remaining on the Yellow Jackets' schedule, ultimately a two-win season is in the works, and that could spell the end of the Key era in Atlanta.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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