Urban Meyer Calls Texas A&M An 'Enigma'; Can Mike Elko Solve It?

Despite having all the resources in the world, Texas A&M has never been able to get
Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko high fives players as they exit the field during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko high fives players as they exit the field during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
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The Texas A&M Aggies are heading into the weekend on the heels of an extremely disappointing loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

No, losing to the No. 7 team in the nation isn't a disaster, but given the way they performed, the hype surrounding the program coming into the season, and the frustrations they have faced over the last decade, it was extremely deflating to say the least.

Despite a new, exciting head coach, a 'culture change', and a host of new talented players on both sides of the ball, the Aggies once again came up short.

In essence, it is just the same old story.

According to former Ohio State and Florida State head coach Urban Meyer during an episode of the Triple Option podcast, it is quite a puzzling issue.

Aggie
Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; A Texas A&M Aggies fan looks on during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

“Most places say, ‘Hey, we need this. We need this. We need this,'” Meyer said. “Everything’s there. That’s an enigma to me. I don’t understand why that’s not a top-five job every year... One of my great friends in coaching coached there and said first of all you’ve got the best high school football within a four-hour circle of your university. There is nothing you don’t have. The donors, the boosters, the alumni, the money that flows through that program, it’s zero, they are not in need of anything.”

Meyer has a point. Under Jimbo Fisher, the Aggies had everything they needed and more. They had the facilities, the resources, and the recruiting classes that would have signified the makings of a Georgia or an Alabama.

There was no question about it. The Aggies were on the verge of greatness. But the longer it went on, the more and more it seemed like 'next year was finally going to be the year.'

The truth is, however, that Texas A&M has historically been an underperforming program, even since before the days of Fisher. In fact, ever since the end of the RC Slocum, the Aggies have been searching for an answer.

Dennis Franchione came into College Station with plenty of hype surrounding him. As did Mike Sherman. As did Kevin Sumlin. And we all know what happened with Fisher.

Each coach had varying degrees of success too, but none of them could get the program over the hump.

Now, that burden falls to Elko, who looks to be the first Aggies coach to bring a conference title to College Station since Slocum.

Elk
Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko high fives players as they exit the field during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Obviously, that won't be an easy task. Just look at the history.

However, there is one thing about Elko's program that sets it apart from the others before him.

The culture.

Yes, that can be a tired narrative. Every time a new coach comes into a school there is a massive culture shift. And of course, the prevailing message is always that the culture has changed for the better.

The difference here, however, is that we truly believe that Elko has the program and the players buying into his vision.

Aggie fans might not like the comparison - so apologies in advance - but Texas A&M is in a very similar position to what the Texas Longhorns were in in 2021 when they hired Steve Sarkisian.

Longhorn
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his team onto the field for the game against Colorado State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Longhorns were underperforming well below expectations for years. But then, they found the right guy with the right vision and the right culture.

And just a couple of years later, they were on the verge of playing for a national title.

What most people seem not to remember, is that Sarkisian's first season was brutal. He went 5-7, including a loss to Kansas.

That's what happens when you completely change a program from the ground up.

Elko can do the same thing. Of course, we don't believe he will go 5-7 in Year 1, but there is a possibility that things will not go the way that many Aggie fans hoped.

And that's ok. They will get their eventually.

Because Elko has everything he needs to finally solve the 'enigma' in College Station.


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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns In SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks with the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com for 247Sports. He then moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki, ex Longhorns Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, FOX News and former ESPN host Will Cain, as well as countless other recruits and former players for each of the teams he has covered. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.