Texas A&M Expected to Poach New Tight End Coach From Kentucky

The Texas A&M Aggies landed their new tight end coach, taking him from fellow SEC school, the Kentucky Wildcats

Oct 18, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko during the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

As the end of the season arrives for over 100 teams around the country, the coaching cycle and the transfer portal are in full swing. While many schools have already landed their guys, the assistant coaches are still ironing themselves out.

The Texas A&M Aggies, though, are getting an early jump on their coaching staff for next season. Following the departure of Christian Ellsworth, their tight ends coach who is following Collin Klein to Kansas State, Mike Elko is expected to hire Derek Shay from the Kentucky Wildcats to fill his place, according to reports from Jaxson Callaway of On3.

While reports stated that Shay was going to be retained by new Wildcats head coach Will Stein, he opted for College Station and to work with the Aggies as they continue to find success under Elko's direction.

Heading South

Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) runs a route during the second half against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Shay has been in the coaching game for over a decade, starting his career in 2011 as a student assistant at Eastern Illinois before taking a job at Bowling Green as a tight end graduate assistant. He would take a step back from the collegiate level in 2015, working at a high school in Indiana, before taking a co-offensive coordinator position at the prestigious IMG Academy in 2017.

He would return to the college ranks in 2019 at a Tight Ends coach at McNeese, before taking a graduate assistant role for the LSU Tigers. Following a short stint as an offensive analyst with the Missouri Tigers, he would go to Marshall for a season to coach their tight ends.

Following his success at every stop along the way, Shay would join the Wildcats in 2024 as an offensive analyst and run game specialist, and would remain on staff for the 2025 season but serving as the tight ends coach. Now he will take that same role in College Station, taking the reins of a position group that has played a big role in the Aggies' success this season.

Shay has often been named a top coach by On3, being named "50 rising coaches you need to know" during his time at LSU, and "65 rising star support staff coaches" in the summer of 2022. He replaces Ellsworth, who spent two seasons with the Aggies, serving as an offensive analyst in 2024 before being named the tight end coach for the 2025 season.

Despite being in the midst of their College Football Playoff run, Elko is alreayd working to bolster his staff for next season to continue the success he has had during his two seasons with the Aggies.

The Aggies will host the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field for the first round of the CFP on Dec. 20 at 11 a.m.