Watch: New Texas A&M Aggies Head Coach Mike Elko Arrives In College Station
Mike Elko has still not officially been named Texas A&M's next head coach, but he has officially arrived back in College Station.
Elko touched down at Easterwood Airport in College Station around 2 a.m. Monday morning. The former Duke head coach made a quiet entrance alongside his wife, Michelle, their three children, and A&M athletic director Ross Bjork.
Elko entered a white Ford truck and took off to begin the final stages of becoming A&M's next head coach. According to a source, the two sides finalized a deal late Sunday evening for Elko to return to College Station after spending two seasons at Duke.
An announcement is expected to be made sometime Monday morning, while a press conference should follow soon after. The Houston Chronicle was first to report A&M had zeroed in on Elko as the next coach following a season finale 42-30 loss to No. 14 LSU in Baton Rouge.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko before the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
Elko transformed A&M's defense into one of the nation's best during his four seasons in College Station. In 2020, the Aggies ranked second in run defense and 20th in sacks. A year later, A&M ranked third in scoring defense, holding opponents to 16.9 points per contest.
After Jimbo Fisher was fired on Nov. 12, the Aggies began conducting interviews to find their new coach. On Saturday, it was reported that Kentucky's Mark Stoops emerged as the favorite, but the agreement collapsed in the eleventh hour for multiple reasons.
After Stoops was out of the picture, A&M turned to Elko, who just capped off a 7-5 season with the Blue Devils. The year prior, Elko was named ACC Coach of the Year after leading Duke to a 9-4 record.
Elko's arrival differs drastically from Fisher's, who was hired from Florida State in Dec. 2017. When Fisher touched down on campus, he was greeted with a maroon carpet and the sounds of the Texas A&M band members playing the Aggies Wae Hhym.
Perhaps the move was made unintentionally, or maybe the program wanted a more quiet entrance in years past. The noise around the facility will be loud in the coming days anyway.
According to a source close to the situation, interim coach Elijah Robinson is expected to remain on Elko's staff. Robinson will coach A&M in its bowl game later next month.
