The Pros and Cons of Hiring Mike Elko at Penn State

The Texas A&M head coach is among the top candidates for the Nittany Lions' head coaching job. How well would he fit at Penn State?

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Penn State has embarked on one of college football’s most high-profile coaching searches to replace James Franklin, who was fired Oct. 12. Athletic Director Pat Kraft promised a nationwide search for the coach he said possesses a “vision of championships.”

Penn State is hiring a football coach for the first time since 2014, when Franklin replaced Bill O’Brien. It’s a situation no one thought Penn State would be in this year, but there's no shortage of talent to assess.

We’re scouring the list of candidates for the opening at Penn State. In the first edition of our profile series, we spotlight Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and whether he’s a fit for the Nittany Lions.  

RELATED: Where the Penn State job ranks among college football openings

Mike Elko at a glance

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

• School: Texas A&M (2nd year)

• Age: 48

• Hometown: South Brunswick, New Jersey

• Head coaching experience: Two years at Duke, second year at Texas A&M

• Where he has coached: Elko began his coaching career at Stony Brook in 1999 and has spent plenty of time in Penn State's recruiting territory, with stops at Penn, Fordham and Richmond. Elko was the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green and Wake Forest before taking the Notre Dame job in 2017.

What to know about Mike Elko

Elko spent two seasons at Duke before his current stint with the Aggies. He recorded two winning seasons and was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2022 after a 9-4 campaign. He began the following season with a 28-7 rout of Clemson.

Elko has a 1-1 record in bowl games, beating Central Florida in the 2022 Military Bowl. In addition to his head coaching experience, Elko spent 23 years as an assistant, including time as Notre Dame and Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator. Jimbo Fisher hired Elko as his defensive coordinator at Texas A&M in 2018, calling him “one of the top defensive minds in the nation.”

Elko is a New Jersey native (he played quarterback at South Brunswick High) and played safety on Penn’s 1998 Ivy League championship team.

Why Mike Elko would fit at Penn State

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on during the third quarter against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Elko would be a great replacement for Franklin. While his head-coaching track record is short, he has shown an ability to take over a program and make it competitive almost immediately.  

For example, Elko took over a 3-9 Duke team that was 0-8 in ACC play in 2021 and turned it around. The Blue Devils finished 9-4 in 2022, including a 5-3 conference record and a bowl win. And in just his second year at Texas A&M, Elko has made the Aggies a national-championship contender. Texas A&M was 7-0 and ranked third before its Oct. 25 game against LSU. Further, Elko is 4-3 against AP top-10 opponents.

Kraft said that he’s looking for a coach to fit Penn State’s “toughness and “blue-collar work ethic.” Elko appears to model himself on that ethos. According to his Texas A&M bio, the Aggies embraced Elko’s “culture of grit, relentless effort, integrity, now and dependability.”

And if he's interested in the job, Elko can ask his defensive line coach Sean Spencer all about it. Spencer spent four seasons on Franklin's staff from 2014-17.

Why Mike Elko might not fit at Penn State

Elko would be an exceptional fit at Penn State, but can he fit Kraft’s budget? Penn State’s athletic director seems willing to get into a bidding war with anyone, though Texas A&M has the donor cash to exceed Kraft’s offer. According to USA Today, Elko is the 32nd highest-paid coach in the country at $7 million but has a heavy incentives package. If Texas A&M keeps winning, the university won’t hesitate giving him a big extension with more guarantees.

The playoff also looms with Elko. The Aggies could be playing into January, and Penn State would prefer to hire a coach by early December. If he’s willing to pay, Kraft also might be willing to wait. But for how long?  

Mike Elko on his future

Here is the full question and answer about Mike Elko being mentioned as a candidate for the Penn State job. pic.twitter.com/Wj2jVEoZRy

— Drewtamu (@Drewtamu) October 20, 2025

Elko issued the standard non-denial denial when asked about being linked to Penn State. "I don't discuss it with my players," Elko said, according to the Houston Chronicle. “I think it's absolutely hilarious how you guys cover coaches. I think three weeks ago I was getting fired. Now, I'm getting hired. Now, you don't want me to stay, but I'm leav— it's absolutely hilarious. It is a waste of brain space to be talking about any of that stupidity."

Bottom line

Elko should be at or near the top of Penn State's search list. He might even be worth waiting for through the College Football Playoff.