Georgia Tech coach Brent Key 1-on-1 on the progress of the program, the game vs Florida State & more

[Music] joined Now by Georgia Tech head coach Brent key Brent of course making the trip across the pond as will I over to play Florida State in Ireland Brent what's going on not much how's it going doing well doing well so you first of all let's let's talk about this game unique experience obviously going across the pond to take on Florida State inter in a conference game no less so there's a lot of different little angles to this that are very interesting I guess first things first U what does this stage sort of mean for you and the the development and the the foundation you're trying to still build for your program yeah I it's anytime you get to open up the season with the defending conference Champs uh you know league play right out of the right out of the gate uh you know in a game that is is on a stage that a lot of people are going to see you know it's a good opportunity first off to see where we are as a football team and and I a no different than any other coach in the country would say right now we all really know how our team is relative to each other relative to itself but that's what makes college football great is now we get to go see what we are relative to another team so uh and so that's exciting it's exciting to be on stage and really for the for people to see Georgia Tech you know not just Georgia Tech football but also Georgia Tech and exciting for the alumni and the fans the kids to be able to you know play in a different um a different part of the world uh and then really for the game of football you know just continue to create exposure for the game of American football uh internationally it is unique so I guess you know I know coaches are all and players too are always like a focus on the next play focus on the next snap control the EXP all the controllables all that stuff but how much of the talk and it's true I mean that's how you guys think I mean it's it's not coach speak it's actually how youate but you you're the you're the first person that's actually recognized that and admitted that that it's not coach speak that that really is how you guys are all wired so I no well it's the truth it's a truth like we I can sit here and complain like Brent's not GNA give me anything because he's only focused on the next play it's like well yeah that's your job right that's what you're supposed to do that's refreshing BR I appreciate that well well I I appreciate the compliment but you know this is sort of out there obviously going to Ireland you know what what has been the talk you know around fall Camp just with the experience and the the the buildup that the players are feeling about an experience that a lot of them will never experience again no it's really all most of those things really fall on the the Ops the administration you know the people that are planning everything and doing the details uh you know we do keep the guys really grounded into what they're doing uh improving you know as a player individually improving both sides of the ball proving our special teams I mean and so it hadn't really hit that point where I think they oh okay we're about to go over to Ireland to play a game I think they're still in that mode of we're getting ready to play a game I think now when they start scaming up and make sure they all have their passports together and we'll do that way before we you know the night before we leave so uh you I think that part of it will start to hit them pretty quickly but at the same time we're doing a lot I mean we're we're tempering that down as well that I mean this isn't a whole lot different than going you know East Coast West Coast in the NFL you know going from Seattle to Miami or Atlanta uh you there's not a lot of difference in the time so you know we don't you know I don't want the kids to overthink the the jet lag and you know being tired and and those things their kids their their bodies adjust you know pretty quickly and uh you know I think the experience will come once I probably step on the plane and see that all right we're locking into you know fly six six and a half hours as opposed to an hour or two hours well I mean Stanford and Cal have to do it almost every single week in the ACC as it is so it's just y you're not just a a national you're International and you know might as well have you guys and Florida State do it as well so um you know obviously you're Georgia Tech Alum um you get the job under very interesting circumstances not just midseason a couple years ago but also in an era where times in in the world of College athletics are changing very fast so um you've had success you've built Georgia Tech into a program that people recognize now how hard has that been sort of with all of the other ancillary stuff that's gone on um that you guys have to deal with on a daily basis you know I don't know if I pick my head up long enough to really think about that and it's it's every day you wake up and you know attack the job that's that's underneath you for the day uh we know that we're you know building something we want to build that has a solid foundation build for for an extended period of time for a long time but uh the urgency you have to have every day to accomplish what you're doing in that day really supersedes the the patience you have to have to you know to stack the days and you know build it over a course of time so to to be able to come in and and have the sense of urgency every day to do what we have to do uh and we really believe that if we give everything we have everybody walks in the store every day knowing that our our goal each individual's goal is to build the best program in the country you know and and they don't deviate from that I don't want people to walk in and feel as if they uh were punching o' clock and we're here from this time to this time I mean I want everybody to be invested in the program from uh from anyone that that works from coaches to staff Administration I mean no matter if you're in this build and you're invested in the success of the program no different than the coaches and the kids so uh when you have everybody really working that same direction I think you have a chance to to build something special a lot of people um this weekend are going to get a chance to see Haynes King a guy who a lot of people heard of he won the job at Texas sayum twice obviously horrible injury luck transfers to Georgia Tech has a ton of success in year one for you um for you personally recruiting him seeing how he's handled all of his rather secutus route to get to where he is right now how satisfying is it for you to see him succeed and what should people expect to see from him this season I think the probably the biggest reason me and Hayes have such a good relationship is both of us are in a position that the route to get here was the uncom Comm one you know it wasn't you know by the way people script uh you know script it out it wasn't the way people write a book you know it's we we both kind of took the uncommon journey to get where we're at and that's allowed a bond to occur between head coach and quarterback I think it's one of the most important ones you can have because you know they have a bad game they have a good game they're the ones that are in front of the media they're the ones that have to take the podium no different than the head coach uh people aren't looking at the guy that dropped the ball on the sideline you know the you know the quarterback's the one on the getting his picture on the Jumbotron so to be able to share those the the good things and the bad things with your quarterback as the head coach I think really develops a bond between the two because he has to be an extension of you of the head coach and an extension yes of the play caller on offense and the coordinator of how they're you know running that side of the ball but the mentality that a football program has you know the coaches are only around them so much and you know but the players are together and it's through the quarterback that that team is really bu built and the identity created you're heading into you've had two full off Seasons now um you know as the head coach and offensively you return a ton I mean I know offensive line wise that's uh you take some pride in how those players play and you got some experience up there you got a thousand yard back coming back so U what were some of the tweaks and and U you know things you tried to focus on in terms of you know keeping this offense fresh and and building upon what you already have well you know you want to be able to continue to add what you have you I think Buster does a great job of building the offense out uh for number one what's good for our players and and that's what's important it's not about what plays you call it's about how they're executed and he does a good job of building the offense out to to meet our strengths and and really to uh you know eliminate some of of some of the weaknesses so uh you going into a second year you really want to focus on the development of your fundamentals your Technique especially when you got guys returning that have started and played games but the big thing we've been able to really do from you know Spring ball to now is increase our depth that that that's the big thing that uh is build depth uh increase the depth have more guys that can come in and be that sixth linan seventh lineman eighth lineman in the game uh because that's only going to make you better and you're going to make you healthier for the whole season so you increaseing depth um adding to the repertoire adding more compliments you know plays off plays uh being able to have the full package in now that that complements the skill set of our players I think you made four staff changes defensively um this offseason obviously it's a point of concern a point of you know a point of emphasis in terms of of what you want to do in terms of building your program to play complimentary football at an elite level so what changes should fans expect in terms of the defense this year better I mean it's uh it's one of those things where early on you see the the the chemistry you look you can have really good people and really good coaches together but sometimes just you know the chemistry is right when working together so uh I think we had really good chemistry in the defensive room uh really good relationships with the players uh they're really good teachers uh being able to teach the concepts you know not just what they're doing defensively but what they're attacking offensively uh but it really all starts with you know the ability to stop the run and that that's the A1 thing we have to accomplish and you know the coaches have done a good job putting the defense in uh teaching the defense but then we've also been able to go out and acquire some pieces on the defensive side of the ball that that help with personnel as well last thing you you did a great job keeping players from transferring I don't know what the exact statistic is but in terms of players leaving you're pretty low on that list just what's it like re-recruiting your own roster basically every single minute of every single day I think you said that's the key to it it's every minute of every day it's not I don't look at as re-recruiting them I look at it as continuing to to build on the relationships contining to have open conversations to be transparent with them um you know players coaches get players what they need not what they want everybody wants the pie in the sky but you know be able to give these guys what they need what they need to be successful on the field off the field in the classroom uh that's what's important and then you know the camaraderie they have with each other there's friend people lose sight of that too there's still long lasting friendships and bonds that these guys have they build from freshman sophomore Jr and you know sometimes those override you know the you know whatever to go somewhere else well Brent appreciate it uh good luck in Ireland uh it should be a fun uh fun way to start the season in conference game against Florida State and uh look I'm happy to be there I'm I might be a couple guinnesses in not I'm not gonna I'm not goingon to say I won't be but uh that Guinness Brewery and that Jameson Distillery are calling my name appreciate it all right man thanks go jackets for