‘Can’t Catch Football’ – Georgia Tech’s Preseason Camp Ends With Brent Key’s Blunt Reality Check

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Georgia Tech heads into 2025 with expectations higher than they’ve been in years. After back-to-back 7–6 finishes, which saw a signature upset of Miami last fall, optimism on The Flats has been hard to ignore.

This season, the roster is deeper, the recruiting class is one of the strongest in recent memory, and the schedule lines up in the Jackets’ favor. Despite the general optimism, in a recent press conference, head coach Brent Key made it clear that he was not buying into the hype with the Aug. 29 opener at Colorado looming.

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Georgia Tech HC Brent Key Doesn’t Hold Back, Blasts 125-Play Scrimmage

Key came out of Georgia Tech’s final preseason scrimmage with a reality check that his team isn’t ready.

“Had our final scrimmage of preseason camp. We went 125 plays. I was planning to go about 100, but the first hundred looked like dog crap,” he admitted.

Instead of ending camp on a high, Key extended the day to make sure everyone got a chance to prove whether they belonged.

“We got some heat out there today. Reached about 94, but about 115 on the turf, which was what I wanted,” Key explained.

The head coach was not just frustrated with the execution but also with the habits forming inside his locker room. Too many penalties, too many turnovers, and too many players tapping out when the heat was up. In Key’s eyes, mental toughness, something he sees as non-negotiable, wasn’t there.

“I wanted to see how these guys could sustain and practice through some adversity. I don’t think we did that well today,” Key added.

That honesty cut right through all the preseason optimism.

It is a rather brutal take considering the fact that Georgia Tech has plenty of talent across the board. Veteran wideout Malik Rutherford returns after a 702-yard season and three touchdowns, while transfer Eric Rivers, who at FIU had 1,172 yards, brings the speed the Jackets lost in the portal.

There are also breakout players like Isiah Canion and Zion Taylor, and the receiver room looks deeper than it did a year ago. Yet all that talent means little if Key’s players can’t line up, focus, and deliver when it counts.

“I don’t think we’re anywhere close to being ready to play a football game,” added Key.

To be fair, the Yellow Jackets’ defense is going through a transition. After last year, Key brought in Blake Gideon from Texas as the new defensive coordinator.

While the unit is experienced, especially at linebacker and in the secondary, the question is whether they can sustain pressure up front. Key knows the margins are thin in the ACC, and lapses in effort like he saw in the scrimmage could swing entire games.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids on the field, new kids, but that is zero excuse. We’ve got a lot of damn work to do,” added Key.

One of the main frustrations that Key put forth was the sloppy play from the trenches.

“Well, we had better pass protection out there today, but now I’m concerned about the lack of pass rush and the fact we can’t catch a football when it is thrown,” Key said.

The irony is that protection has actually been one of the Yellow Jackets’ strongest assets in recent years.

Behind offensive line coach Geep Wade, Georgia Tech ranked third nationally in fewest sacks allowed last season with just nine in 13 games. Guards Joe Fusile and Keylan Rutledge anchor those numbers. But this fall, the line isn’t without questions.

Left tackle Corey Robinson transferred, while center Weston Franklin and right tackle Jordan Williams are gone due to graduation. That’s left Ethan Mackenny, who played the final five games last season, needing to step up on the edge.

Meanwhile, Harrison Moore will be sliding into a full-time role at center, and there will be a wide-open battle at right tackle between returnees like Jameson Riggs and newcomers Malachi Carney and William Reed.

This group has the potential to remain among the ACC’s best, but as Key pointed out, strong pass protection won’t mean much if the Jackets can’t generate pressure on defense or capitalize in the passing game when receivers fail to secure the football.

The good part about Georgia Tech’s schedule this year is that they have some breathing room. They avoid Miami, Louisville, and Florida State, with a home game against Clemson being their toughest ACC test. On paper, that makes Colorado the perfect season opener.

Considering Colorado is at a point where it is still finding its footing after Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter went to the NFL, the Yellow Jackets do have a good chance of starting with a win. That’s where the mental side comes back in.

If Haynes King, who was recently on the Manning Award Watch List, can build on his dual-threat success from last season, if the offensive line holds despite turnover, and if Key’s young talent buys into toughness, this could be the year Georgia Tech finally cracks the ACC’s upper tier.

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