Kirby Smart was just named one of the top college football coaches for 2026 by ESPN analysts. Now the Georgia head coach has lost a key staffer to a Group of Five program. Ethan Key will leave the Bulldogs to join Blake Harrell at East Carolina ahead of the 2026 season.

Ethan Key, a player personnel analyst at Georgia, has been hired by East Carolina as director of scouting, according to CBS Sports. The move happens just two years after Key joined the Bulldogs. Key himself confirmed this with a retweet of a post announcing his new role at East Carolina.

For a staffer who grew up in the college football world, the move is more than a job change. It feels like stepping from a powerhouse kitchen into his own small restaurant, where he can cook the way he wants. At Georgia, he learned how champions scout talent. At East Carolina, he gets to decide what that looks like every day.

During Key’s two years with the Bulldogs, Kirby Smart’s team entered the 12-team College Football Playoff twice. He joined the program in June 2024, immediately after he finished his collegiate years at Kennesaw State. In his first year, Georgia earned the No. 2 overall seed after a 10-2 regular season and a 22-19 SEC championship win over Texas. The Bulldogs then lost 23-10 to Notre Dame in the playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl.

On the recruiting front, the Bulldogs showed strength with Key on staff. The program’s 2024 transfer class finished 15th. The 2025 class, which was the first transfer activity he was a part of, was ranked No. 30 in the nation, per On3, having two four-star and eight three-star prospects.

He also had a strong hand in high school recruiting. In the 2024 season, the program had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports. In the 2025 season, they were the consensus No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, behind only the Texas Longhorns. The 2026 transfer class improved to No. 16 by 247Sports.

Key leaves after helping Georgia build the No. 5 recruiting class in 2026. At East Carolina, he steps into a bigger role, taking full charge of scouting as the program resets its roster and coaching staff.

Kirby Smart ranked 2nd on CFB coaches’ list

Last year, ESPN analysts ranked Smart as the top coach in college football. Georgia then exited the CFP earlier than expected. Even so, many still see him among the sport’s elite.

“The argument for Smart is his program remains the gold standard for elite, sustained success even as the expanded CFP, the portal and NIL have in many ways made his job tougher,” wrote Max Olsen, who ranked Smart No. 1.

“He has maintained an incredibly high standard at Georgia with no bad years, finishing in the top seven of the AP poll in nine consecutive seasons, with eight trips to the SEC title game. His SEC record is a ridiculous 40-5 since 2021. Sure, consecutive CFP semifinal losses in the Sugar Bowl have been disappointing endings for the back-to-back SEC champs, but I still think Smart’s track record of acquiring and developing blue-chip talent and consistently winning at the absolute highest level can’t be beat.”

With or without Key, Smart has the tools to succeed in 2026. As recruiting continues, Georgia is expected to look for a replacement in the coming weeks.