By David Knox
Sports Editor
There’s a saying that if you’re standing still, you’re moving backward.
So Nick Saban is moving forward.
Relax. The University of Alabama football coach isn’t going to coach somewhere else. But he’s not resting on his laurels in Tuscaloosa.
Despite a national championship, built on an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award for the top offensive line in the country, Saban thinks the Crimson Tide can do better. And he’s turning to a former Husky to get it done.
Brent Key, a 1996 Hewitt-Trussville graduate, is coming back to his native state to coach the offensive line at Alabama. Key, 37, was most recently the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at the University of Central Florida. He was let go by coach Scott Frost, the Knights’ new coach, after a 0-12 season that saw veteran coach George O’Leary retire after eight games.
O’Leary was Key’s mentor. Key played for O’Leary at Georgia Tech, starting for four years at guard, then was a graduate assistant at Tech. He served under O’Leary at UCF as assistant head coach and various other positions for 11 years.
Key was the expected heir to O’Leary, and when UCF did not name him head coach, the school paid him $700,000.
Key is expected to coach the centers and guards with Mario Cristobal shifting to tackles and tight ends.
The Brent Key File
Hometown: Trussville
College — Georgia Tech, 2001. Four-year starter at right guard, All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Coaching — Offensive coordinator/running backs – UCF, 2015
Assistant head coach – UCF, 2012-14
Recruiting coordinator – UCF, 2010-14
Offensive line – UCF, 2009-14
Tight ends/special teams – UCF, 2008
Recruiting coordinator – UCF, 2007
Tight ends – UCF, 2006
Graduate Assistant – UCF, 2005
Tight ends/running backs – Western Carolina, 2004
Graduate assistant – Georgia Tech, 2001-02
High School — Hewitt-Trussville High School, 1996 graduate … Played for coach Jack Wood … 1995
All-State Honorable Mention … Played in Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Earned all-metro and academic all-state honors … Compiled a 3.7 GPA … Team captain as a senior … Lettered three times in football, once as a catcher in baseball and two years in wrestling … Graded out to 89 percent for the season … Allowed only two sacks in 1,200 plays as a junior and senior.