Mike Elko Breaks Silence On Collin Klein Rumor During National Signing Day

The Texas A&M Aggies capped off another successful wave of recruiting Wednesday morning, signing 28 new recruits to the program, brightening the future even more for Texas A&M football.

However, while the ink was drying on the papers, some other news concerning the Aggies made headlines, that Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman was expected to retire and that A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein was lined up to fill the role at his alma mater after the conclusion of the season, per On3 Sports.

Klein was the starting quarterback for the Wildcats during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, leading the team to a 21-5 record and finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting during the latter season.

"Opportunity Will Come"

During his National Singing Day press conference on Wednesday afternoon, a couple of hours after the news of his offensive coordinator broke, Elko gave his take on the matter, saying that while it likely wasn't finalized, he was very understanding of the opportunity that Klein would be presented with.

Collin Klein as Kansas State offensive coordinator. — Sep 3, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats offensive coordinator Collin Klein watches the team warm up before the start of a game against the South Dakota Coyotes at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

"I think that it's probably not solidified in any way, shape, or form yet," Elko said. "Certainly, the reports tend to proceed the official notifications, but I think when you hire really good people, opportunities like that will come, and that people want to stay part of your program until the next big opportunity comes."

Elko likened the move to losing players in the NFL draft, and that he would be supportive in any way of Klein moving up the coaching ladder.

"It's no different than losing players to the NFL," said Elko. "You'll lose coaches, you'll lose position coaches to become coordinators, you'll lose coordinators to become head coaches. I think what you're trying to avoid at all costs is losing really valued assistants to go be assistants at other programs, right? That's not this case."

"If it does turn out to work out like the reports suggest, then obviously it's a tremendous opportunity for someone on our staff to take the next step in their career, and I do everything I can to support and help those endeavors."

This shouldn't come as a surprise to most; Klein himself even admitted earlier in the season that being a head coach was a goal of his after his name popped up in many head coaching predictions.

"Absolutely. It’s been a dream and a goal of mine, but it’s about being with the right people at the right time and that’s here, right now,” Klein said.

Aside from spending 2016 as the quarterbacks coach with the Northern Iowa Panthers, the A&M offensive coordinating gig is the only coaching role that Klein has held outside of his alma mater, serving as a graduate assistant with Kansas State during 2014 and 2015, before serving as quarterbacks coach from 2017 to 2023 and taking offensive coordinating duties during his final two seasons.