'Attack Mode!' Aggies Defensive Backs Coach Ishmael Aristide Ready for 2024

Along with head coach Mike Elko and the rest of the staff, new Texas A&M Aggies defensive backs coach Ishmael Aristide is vigorously preparing for the upcoming season.

Elko and Aristide are familiar with each other, having worked together at A&M and Duke before returning to College Station in December of last year. Now, the two - alongside new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman - will work to solidifying an already stout defense from a year ago.

Aristide spoke on his return to College Station, the upcoming season and the Aggies' mindset heading into it.

"I think when you step foot in College Station, you learn very quickly the pride the Aggies have across the nation," Aristide said. "And you feel it when you step on campus. I think Aggies are proud. That's something you pick up on and you feel very quickly. It's not something that people just talk about. Aggieland is real and it's something that you feel when you're here."

"Very, very passionate," Aristide said about working with Elko. "But you know, when you're around him, you realize how competitive he is. You realize the love he had for the game. You don't always know that from the outside looking in, but he really cares about the players.

"And that's something you see on a day-to-day basis, that from some coaches in some professions and everybody doesn't feel the same way. I think with coach Elko, you see it in everything that he does."

Aristide also spoke about his relationship with his players.

"I like to hit the ground running ... we stay in attack mode, and that's in every aspect of your life. We're going to be in attack mode in everything that we do. And I think the other piece of it is I'm going to coach them hard, but I'm going to love them harder."

Aristide and the Aggies coaching staff have the task of building a better culture in Aggieland after a disappointing 2023, and Elko has shifted the focus to discipline. That, along with a new influx of talent could usher in a new era of winning in College Station.