Mike Elko Was Always Going to Be An Aggie Long Term

While high-profile coaching positions were opening up around the nation, Texas A&M football was busy having its best start to a season in over 30 years. The success has become a palpable feeling in Aggieland, as the Aggies have pretty much guaranteed themselves a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time ever.

But with that success comes hungry eyes, where programs across the country are looking to imitate that success, and who better to bring that success than the head coach himself. With jobs like Penn State, Florida and LSU open for the taking, head coach Mike Elko's name had been thrown around as a potential candidate for the position.

After all, these programs are storied, with national championships and the resources to compete. It would seem like the perfect place for Elko to take over; the only problem for those schools was simple: Elko had no interest all along.

Building a Winning Program

Jul 17, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko talks to the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

To Elko and his staff, there is a winning standard in mind when it comes to how the Aggies play. It's the way championship football is played, and it was what many other teams are seeking in their own programs. But they'll have to build that culture themselves, as Elko is quite content as the head man of the A&M program.

" I think [the athletic department] just kind of agreed. I don’t think there was much back and forth. Once we knew the university and the athletic department were willing to commit to the program the way they were,” Elko said. “We were never going anywhere.”

The Aggie brass moved quickly to get a long-term deal done with Elko, as his system and staff have worked wonders on a program that has never been short on talent, but rather, the leadership to get the job done.

Elko has benefited from having previous experience in Aggieland, as before he was the head coach at Duke, he was the defensive coordinator for Jimbo Fisher's staff. In fact, a handful of defensive players currently on the roster were recruited by him, making it a full-circle moment for those who have been impacted by the second-year head coach.

As news broke out this past Saturday of Elko's contract extension, the Aggie boss helped engineer the greatest comeback in school history in just his second year. It was a "that's why" moment, and there are many memories and critical moments to come.