Football
- Title:
- Offensive Line
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Brent Key begins his third season on Nick Saban's coaching staff at Alabama after joining the Crimson Tide in February of 2016 to coach the offensive line.
For the second straight year under Key, and third overall, the Alabama offensive line was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the nation's top offensive front. The Tide's rushing attack finished the season ranked 13th nationally, averaging 250.6 ypg while the Tide offense ranked 15th in the nation in scoring offense (37.1 ppg) in 2017. Bradley Bozeman was a First Team All-SEC selection, a Second Team All-American and a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the nation's top center. Jonah Williams also all garnered First Team All-SEC honors and Second Team All-America stats at left tackle. Ross Pierschbacher started 12 mores games in 2017 and enters the 2018 campaign as the most experience returning lineman with 42 career starts.
Key's 2018 offensive line will feature four returning starters with Pierschbacher and Williams, Lester Cotton Sr. at right guard and Matt Womack at right tackle. Those four players boast 104 career starts with talented sophomores Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills Jr. looking to challenge for playing time. Wills started one game and played in 11 contests as a freshman in 2017, while Leatherwood filled in for an injured Williams in the second half of the CFP National Championship Game and played in seven games in his first season with the Tide.
The offensive line unit was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2016, a group that was led by Outland Trophy winner Cam Robinson, who was a unanimous First Team All-America selection. The Alabama offensive line helped the Tide rank second in the SEC and 12th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 245.0 yards per game. The Tide offensive line helped provide time and open holes for the nation's No. 16 scoring offense at 38.6 points per game and No. 4 total offense at 455.3 yards per game. They allowed just 1.60 sacks per game with Williams, a true freshman, at right tackle, a SEC All-Freshman and Second-Team All-SEC selection. Bozeman turned in a solid year at center, while Pierschbacher started all 15 games at guard and earned Second Team All-SEC recognition.
Prior to joining the Alabama staff, Key spent the 11 seasons prior as an assistant coach at Central Florida, including the 2015 campaign as the Knights' offensive coordinator and running backs coach. He originally started as a graduate assistant at UCF in 2005.
Key was Central Florida's offensive line coach for six seasons (2009-14), holding the title of assistant head coach from 2012-14. He also served six seasons as the Knights' recruiting coordinator (2007, 2010-14). Key coached the tight ends from 2006-08 and added the role of special teams coordinator for the 2008 campaign.
In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Key was selected as a national nominee for the Broyles Award, which is given out each year to the top assistant coach in college football. Key coached eight players to 16 all-conference selections during his time as the offensive line coach for the Knights. Jah Reid was a third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and three more linemen have signed NFL free-agent contracts since leaving Orlando.
During Key's time at UCF, the Knights participated in seven bowl games and won four conference titles (2007, 2010, 2013 and 2014). Central Florida went 12-1 in 2013 and won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to finish No. 10 in the final rankings. Along the way, UCF earned its first two wins over top-10 teams (No. 6/5 Baylor and No. 8/6 Louisville), and did not allow a sack against Penn State, Louisville, Connecticut and Baylor.
The UCF offensive line in 2013 paved the way for an offensive unit that averaged 441.5 yards and 34.6 points per game – two of the highest marks in program history. It also helped provide plenty of protection for quarterback Blake Bortles, who would be named The American Conference's Offensive Player of the Year.
Key took over the offensive line for Central Florida at the start of the 2009 season and the progress the Knights' line made was evident. UCF improved from 229.5 yards per game in 2008 to 340.8 in 2009, one of the five largest jumps in the nation that season.
While coaching tight ends for the Knights from 2006-08, Key helped tight end Mike Merritt develop into an NFL prospect. Merritt had 14 catches for 161 yards as a senior in 2007 and was a seventh-round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 NFL Draft.
A standout player at Georgia Tech under George O'Leary, Key was a four-year starter (1997-2000) for the Yellow Jackets at right guard. During his career, he helped Georgia Tech rank in the top three in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing all four years.
Key started 44 games for the Yellow Jackets and was part of a senior class that earned four straight bowl berths, a first for the program since the 1950s. During Key's sophomore year in 1998, Georgia Tech went 10-2, earned a share of the ACC title and played in the Gator Bowl. He was selected All-ACC as a senior in 2000.
He began his coaching career at Georgia Tech in 2001 as the offensive graduate assistant coach under O'Leary. Prior to joining the staff at UCF, he worked at Western Carolina in 2004, coaching the tight ends and running backs.
A native of Trussville, Ala., Key earned all-state honors at Hewitt-Trussville High School. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 2001 with a degree in management. Key is married to the former Danielle Cumm.
