Why Brent Key Offering Knox Kiffin & Andrew Smart Matters

One of the biggest headlines coming out of Thursday and the 7 on 7 at Georgia Tech was head coach Brent Key offering two young passers whose dads are the most famous in college football. One is Knox Kiffin, whose dad is Lane Kiffin, probably one of the more polarizing figures in college football at the moment. Andrew Smart is the son of well-renowned and respected Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart.

Now both are extremely young players with still a lot of time left in their careers. Kiffin will be entering his junior year after transferring to University Lab (LA) from Oxford (MS). During his sophomore year, Kiffin threw for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting reps with junior quarterback Drew Dean. In his new destination, he will look to be the full-time starter.

latest — Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin and his son, Knox Kiffin, walk onto the field after defeating the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Smart is an eighth grader currently and will enter his first season of high school football as a freshman. Smart will have an opportunity to compete early in his prep career after Athens Academy star quarterback Chap Chapman graduated last season.

Both quarterbacks should have opportunities to continue to prove themselves in 2026.

Why does it matter?

One of the things that has helped in the Brent Key era is how he has built relationships with prospects, especially early in their careers. It allows Georgia Tech to get one leg up and have that early momentum on their side. He has a proven track record of doing this at a high level. The earlier you can start, the better it is. Now we don’t know how much control both Smart and Kiffin (dads) will have over their son’s decisions in the future, but it should be a key factor. They may or may not feel a way about their son’s playing for a rival coach. Regardless, Key is smart for at least trying to start a rapport.

The next reason it matters is the development that the Yellow Jackets can provide to either athlete. You go and look at the resurrection of the career of Haynes King, who was oft-injured at Texas A&M and almost became an afterthought before coming to Atlanta. A few years later, he is in the Heisman race, wins ACC Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-ACC, and has a career season leading the Yellow Jackets to nine wins. Coach Key and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke do a stellar job of developing the quarterback position. Another player you can point to is Grady Adamson, who has continued to grow and look a lot sharper as a young player who was a true freshman in 2025. You look at his spring game, and you see the strides he has taken in his career. Both Smart and Kiffin would benefit from learning from a former Heisman trophy winner and one of the top quarterback coaches in the country.

Finally, Coach Key is not afraid to recruit anybody. It doesn’t matter if you are well-known, big-time, have an ego, or are underrated. If you have talent and a good work ethic, Coach Key will at least have a conversation with you. He has built quite the reputation as a players' coach and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure his players' success both on and off the field. That is a valuable tool, especially when talking to parents and trying to convince the player and his family why they should come to Georgia Tech. I think that a no-fear mentality has turned Key into one of the top recruiting coaches in the ACC, and one who will continue to garner the interest and attention of top-end prospects. He certainly has it with two prominent coaches' sons who will likely think about Georgia Tech in the back of their minds.

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