Mike Elko Believes Texas A&M Aggies Heading in Right Direction

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks to build on an 8-5 record in his first season.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko during warm ups before Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Jake Crandall/Montgomery Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mike Elko's first season as the Texas A&M Aggies may have ended on a low note, but the offseason has provided new reason for optimism.

Not only were the Aggies able to make some big additions in the transfer portal, such as wide receiver KC Concepcion and corenrback Julian Humphrey, but they were able to retain many of their own players. Offensive linemen Trey Zuhn and Ar'maj Reed-Adams, defensive back Will Lee III and linebacker Scooby Williams are just a few of the players who could've gone elsewhere, be it the NFL Draft or transfer portal, but chose to stay in College Station.

In Elko's eyes, the players' commitment shows that the program is hitting the right notes.

Oct 5, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko gets ready for a pre-game interview with the SEC Nation prior to the game against the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

"It speaks to how the kids feel about the direction of the program," Elko said in an interview with TexAgs. "That’s a strong indicator of where the kids believe the program is going. I tell people this all the time. It’s no different than a business. You stay because you love the work you do every day. The day you don’t like coming to work every day, you could probably become a free agent and get on the open market and raise your salary.

"That’s just sometimes how this thing works. When you look at kid’s willingness to stay and be a part of this and not test the waters and not dip their toe in, it speaks to where we are at and where we are going."

The Aggies have been stuck in roughly the same place for several years now: good, but not good enough to compete for conference championships, let alone national championships. For a while, it looked like Elko could change that this season, but losing four of their final five games took the air out of their sails.

Building a championship contender is a process, though, and Elko and co. feel very good about their process.

"You want kids to feel valued in what you do and in your program," Elko said. "That’s important, and it’s no different than coach retention when you’re trying to make sure the best coaches stay on your staff. We had some guys get targetted who ultimately decided to stay. Part of it is getting out in front and letting people know how you think, feel and value about them so all of that is clear to everybody, and you don’t run into those problems down the road."

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