Former Texas A&M Coach Mike Elko Named ACC Coach of the Year
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Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko was destined to become a head coach. How well would he transition in Year 1 at Duke?
Try coach of the year well.
Elko was named the ACC Coach of the Year for his efforts with the Blue Devils in his first season. Duke finished 8-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play, its highest overall win total since 2018 and highest conference win total since 2014.
After going 3-9 (0-8 in the ACC) in 2021 during the final year of the David Cutcliffe era, Duke was projected to finish last in the ACC Coastal Division's preseason poll. Instead, Elko and the Blue Devils tied for second place in the division, falling one game behind in-state rival North Carolina for a berth in Saturday's conference title game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte against No. 9 Clemson.
The Blue Devils lost to Kansas, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Pitt by a combined 15 points. Duke's offense, orchestrated by quarterback Riley Leonard finished fourth among ACC teams in total yards (421.2 yards per game), fourth in rushing (184.75 yards per game), fifth in scoring (33.1 points per game) and sixth in passing (236.4 yards per game).
Defensively, Elko's unit excelled out of the gate. The Blue Devils finished fourth in run defense (120.3 yards per game), sixth in scoring defense (22.8 points per game), 11th in total defense (382.6 yards per game) and 12th in pass coverage (262.3 yards per game).
Elko becomes the first Duke coach to be named the conference's coach of the year since Cutcliffe won it back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. Against first-year head coaches, Elko went 4-0.
Elko is now the fifth Blue Devils coach to win ACC Coach of the Year honors, joining Cutcliffe, Bill Murray, Steve Spurrier, and Fred Goldsmith. Wallace Wade, who left Alabama in favor of Duke following its 1930 national championship season, also won coach of the year in 1949 while the Blue Devils were members of the Southeastern Conference.
Elko was hired by Texas A&M from Notre Dame in 2018. During his four seasons, the Aggies produced one of the nation's top defensive front sevens. In 2021, Texas A&M finished third nationally in scoring defense, allowing 15.9 points per game. The year prior, the Aggies ranked second nationally in run defense, holding opponents to 92 yards per game on the ground.
The Blue Devils will await their bowl assignment Sunday during the selection show. Texas A&M (5-7, 2-6 SEC) will not head to a bowl game due to ineligibility for the first time since 2008.
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