Former Penn State OL says Brent Key is the 'number one option' to replace James Franklin, and calls him better than Curt Cignetti
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As the media runs wild with stories about who will replace James Franklin at Penn State, Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key isn’t listening to the speculation. The former Yellow Jackets offensive lineman has his program at 8-1 and charging toward the ACC title race, but as his name surfaces in connection with major openings, including Penn State, Key shut down the talk Thursday.
“Since I came back here, since I was named the head coach here, outside of the time with my family, every waking second of my life has gone towards building this program,” Key told Jackets Online’s Kelly Quinlan. “Slice me open and see what colors I bleed.”
Former Penn State lineman says Key fits the blueprint
On the latest episode of The Landon Tengwall Show, the former Nittany Lion offensive lineman explained why Key shouldn’t be dismissed as a candidate for top jobs, despite his loyalty to Georgia Tech. Tengwall drew direct parallels between Key’s turnaround in Atlanta and Curt Cignetti’s rapid rebuild at Indiana.
“When James Franklin was fired, most people’s top choice was Curt Cignetti,” Tengwall said. “But if you’re Penn State, the number one option to follow that blueprint would be Brent Key.”
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Tengwall walked through how Key modernized Georgia Tech after taking over for Geoff Collins in 2022, shifting the program from branding slogans to blue-collar results. Under Key, the Jackets have gone from triple-option relic to one of college football’s most physical, balanced teams.
“He went on to do exactly what Collins tried to post on social media,” Tengwall explained. “Practices got harder, they got more physical. The grittiness of that football team took a big step forward, not just on Instagram, but on the gridiron.”
Building success with limited resources
Key’s track record stands out because of what he’s done without elite resources. Working with one of the ACC’s smallest budgets, he landed former Georgia quarterbacks coach Buster Faulkner for just $750,000 and turned a 124th-ranked offense into the nation’s 27th-best scoring attack within a season.
Tengwall noted that the financial contrast between Georgia Tech and a Big Ten school like Penn State would be a major selling point for athletic director Pat Kraft. “He’d almost double his salary and his entire staff could make significantly more,” Tengwall said. “Georgia Tech can’t match Penn State-type money.”
The Cignetti blueprint connection
Like Cignetti at Indiana, Key has built success through staff cohesion, player development, and culture. His assistants, including former Heisman winner Chris Weinke and strength coach A.J. Artis, could form the foundation of a ready-made staff elsewhere. Tengwall argued that bringing a unified group like that to Penn State could accelerate a rebuild.
“You already have those questions answered with Key,” he said. “His staff is aligned, his players love him, and they know what his culture is about. You bring that to Penn State and it’s an instant culture fit.”
The biggest obstacle is geography. Key is a Birmingham native with deep SEC ties, and with multiple SEC and ACC jobs expected to open this cycle, it’s unclear whether he’d ever consider moving north.
Still, Tengwall left the door open: “If he doesn’t get one of those southern jobs, and Penn State is still open, he’s the kind of guy who could walk in and win immediately. He’s proven he can do more with less, and that’s exactly what Penn State needs right now.”
For now, Key insists he’s staying in Atlanta. But as his Yellow Jackets surge toward a possible playoff berth, his name isn’t disappearing anytime soon.
Related: Penn State’s coaching search just got serious, and it’s pointing toward Columbia, Missouri
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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