Mike Elko Quickly Shuts Down Penn State Rumors, Calls Out Media

After a 3-0 start and being as high as the No. 7 team in the AP Poll led to a horrendous three-game skid and a swift kick right out of the Top 25, the Penn State Nittany Lions had finally had enough and handed head coach James Franklin his walking papers.

As per usual following the firing, the rumors began to swarm of his potential replacement in Happy Valley, and deep in the heart of those rumors sits Texas A&M's head coach Mike Elko, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, approximately 200 miles southeast of the Penn State campus, attributing Elko's knowledge of the eastern part of the country and the structure of college football in that area of the country, as well as his success in his short time in College Station making him a top candidate for the role.

Elko himself, however, was pretty quick to shut down those rumors during his weekly pregame press conference on Monday.

"It's a Waste of Brain Space"

Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts after the win over the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Amidst the speculation of Elko being linked to the head coaching job, the talk of the team's build up to their conference game this Saturday against the LSU Tigers was briefly interrupted to address the rumor, which Elko shot down with an emphatic statement, and even a brief chuckle on the media's speculation of Elko's role as a coach.

"I think it's absolutely hilarious how you guys cover coaches," Elko said to the press on Monday. "I think three weeks ago, I was getting fired, now I'm getting hired, now you want me to stay, now I'm leaving, it's just absolutely hilarious."

As for the matter of the Penn State job itself, Elko, in typical Elko fashion, didn't sugarcoat a thing when giving his thoughts on the rumor.

"It is a waste of brain space to spend any time talking or thinking about any of that stupidity," Elko said.

In the midst of a 7-0 season, the last remaining undefeated team in the SEC and one of few remaining in the nation, the last thing Elko likely wants to think about is leaving College Station, especially with how massive the team's turnaround has been with Elko at the helm, going 15-5 during his time.

Not to mention, Elko wouldn't gain much from a move back up to the Northeastern U.S., aside from maybe a pay increase, but even then, Elko is too locked in with the culture in Aggieland to just pack his bags and leave, particularly with the SEC and national championship-contending team he's heading right now.

But alas, we all remember the last time a Texas A&M coach was asked about taking a head coaching job at another high-level school and denied anything, but that ball has been kicked around enough.

Elko is well aware that he has a job to do, and the next part of said job is a road trip to Baton Rouge, where the Aggies will look to win their first contest in "Death Valley" since the 1994 season.