Mike Elko and Texas A&M Aren't Taking Missouri State Lightly

Mike Elko isn't speaking like a head coach whose program is disrespecting their Week 1 foe from the Group of Six conferences.

Texas A&M hosts Missouri State this Saturday under the lights at Kyle Field. The Aggies roster is excited in their preparation.

At least according to Elko, who shared praise for Casey Woods's Bears program ahead of the matchup.

Elko called Missouri State athletics a "program on the rise," including shoutouts to women's basketball and baseball.

"Our kids are really excited and fired up for it. It’s an opportunity to take on a Missouri State team who recently made the jump to Conference USA and is one of the hotter athletic departments in the country when you look at some of the things they accomplished last year," Elko said on Monday.

Missouri State Can't Be Overlooked Even After Losing Key Starters

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears bring back very little production from a season ago, ranking No. 128 in the country for returning production. Missouri State doesn't have any of their stat leaders in key offensive metrics.

Quarterback Jacob Clark was on the Las Vegas Raiders during the preseason before recently being released. Running back Shomari Lawrence is in the CFL playing for the Montreal Alouettes. WR1 Dash Luke made a run for the NFL himself.

Wide receiver Jmariyae Robinson and tight end Jeron Askren, who made the Conference USA Preseason Watch List, and running back Ramone Green Jr. are the bulk of the returning offensive production.

Defensively, the Bears have a number of returning upperclassman defenders who've risen through the ranks in Springfield. Still, Missouri State is a massive seven-score underdog for most oddsmakers in the shadow of the 12th Man.

The books have been beaten plenty. While an upset loss would be unfathomable, Elko, his coaching staff, and his players can't assume that they'll walk into Week 1 and leave with a blowout off of talent alone.

Mike Elko Excited About Casey Woods

Elko and Woods' teams crossed paths in 2021 during the former's first tenure in College Station as defensive coordinator. The Aggies defeated the Missouri Tigers when Woods was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, reuniting with Eli Drinkwitz, who he worked with at Auburn.

Woods's tight end room had six catches for 24 yards in a 35-14 Mizzou loss in CoMo. That recruiting cycle, though, the Tigers had their highest-ranked recruiting class in history. It was well-timed at the start of the NIL era.

Elko showed admiration for Woods' abilities, specifically for his work at SMU. Elko was already at A&M and gone from Duke by the time SMU was in the ACC, so their paths didn't cross again.

Still, Elko watched Woods work with Rhett Lashlee to create an instant ACC contender in Dallas. It's easy to respect what Woods has done, which made it hard for Elko to treat the Bears like sportsbooks are and write them off.

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