The 2025 college football season has been one that no one could have predicted. The coaching carousel has been nothing but chaos, as multiple elite SEC programs search for a new head coach. Florida and LSU were the first two SEC teams to fire their head coach, and now Auburn has decided to join the party and fire Hugh Freeze.
Auburn let Freeze go on No. 2 after just a little bit more than two seasons. The Tigers have had three incredibly underwhelming seasons under Freeze, as the former head coach boasted a 6-16 record in the SEC. Auburn now begins to search for its next head coach, and a popular coach from the ACC is yet again at the top of the candidate list.
Louisville football fans are a bit more worried after Jeff Brohm's comments yesterday about job openings, but the moral of it is that Josh Heird has to give him a raise. However, with an elite SEC program searching, another ACC head coach is now being mentioned in every job opening.
Related: Jeff Brohm's comments on job openings don't provide a lot of comfort to Louisville fans
Georgia Tech's head coach Brent Key linked to Auburn's job opening
The ACC has been in complete chaos this season, but Louisville and Georgia Tech continue to improve under their respective head coaches. With the Cardinals and Yellow Jackets' recent success under their relatively new head coaches, it was only a matter of time before they were considered for big-time jobs.
While Louisville fans are confident they can keep Brohm, the Yellow Jackets are a bit worried as Brent Key's name has been thrown in every list. ESPN recently listed Auburn's top five targets for their next head coach, and Brohm's name wasn't among them, but Keys was.
"There's a lot to like about Key, especially for an Auburn program seeking a breakthrough in the SEC. Key can win the big game, as he has shown with a 7-1 record against ranked opponents in the ACC. Georgia Tech, Key's alma mater, has grown from a pest into a CFP contender this fall, sitting at 8-1 and in the race for the ACC title game. Key also has direct connections to the state and to the SEC, growing up near Birmingham, Alabama, and coaching the offensive line for Nick Saban's Alabama teams from 2016 to 2018. The 47-year-old has recruited the region throughout his career, especially the Atlanta area that Auburn relies on to fill out its roster. Key would bring a tough-minded approach to Auburn and a philosophy based on running the ball. Plus, he could still stick it to Georgia."
Georgia Tech started red-hot this season as they are 8-1 after falling to North Carolina State last weekend. Key took over this program when it was at the bottom of the ACC, and in just two years, the Yellow Jackets are competing for the ACC Title and a College Football Playoff berth.
He was the offensive line coach for Alabama from 2016 to 2018, during which they won two SEC championships and the 2017 National Title. So, he has the experience, and he is showing that he can be an elite head coach; now, he is quickly becoming the top target for LSU, Auburn, Florida, and others.