It’s been an exciting few weeks for the Texas A&M football program, and based on what Coach Mike Elko shared during Coach’s Night with the Dallas A&M Club, things are only looking up.
On Wednesday night, Elko discussed all things Aggie football, including the program’s direction and the areas where he hopes to grow as a coach. After a disappointing finish to the 2024 season, momentum is clearly building again.
That buzz started when Elko expanded his coaching staff and confirmed he’ll take a more active role on defense. The roster also returns a wealth of experience, led by a veteran offensive line and a deep running back group.
While questions remain at wide receiver, the additions of KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, alongside Terry Bussey, form a promising unit.
Perhaps the biggest spark? The outstanding job the coaching staff has done recruiting the 2026 class. Though signing day is still a ways off, Elko has already assembled a top-five class with a legitimate shot at reaching No. 1.
Below are some of the key quotes from Mike Elko at the Dallas A&M Club’s Coach’s night:
Elko started the night by praising new basketball coach Bucky McMillan
“How about one more hand for Bucky McMillan and what his staff did? I can’t imagine coming in and not being able to hold a team meeting. What an unbelievable job he and his staff did putting together a roster that will allow them to go out and compete.”
Laying a strong foundation is paramount to any program
“The most important thing you have to do in year one is lay the foundation, and I think we did that at a really high level.”
Elko highlights the continuity of his staff and team
“We retained our entire coaching staff. We were able to bring back six players who had NFL Draft grades.” “In this world of the transfer portal and everyone moving, we’ve been able to stabilize our roster.”
Texas A&M football is trending in the right direction
“This thing is trending in a really positive direction, and that’s what this thing has always been about. You guys deserve a championship football program. There’s no doubt about that. I told you that when I got hired here… That’s what your passion and your support should have. Let us build it. Let us build it the right way.”
Coach Elko wants to fill up the Aggie trophy case with some football hardware
“I want to win as fast as anyone. I want to win a championship as fast as anyone. I want to be in Atlanta. I want to be in the playoff. I want to lift the big trophies. We’ll get there, and when we get there, we’ll stay there for a really long time.”
Defensive will be a key spot that coach Elko will focus on
“Defensively, we have to get better, and we know that. Our kids have a tremendous amount of pride in getting back to that defensive culture.”
Texas A&M has a certain standard, and recruits are taking note
“Our staff believes what Texas A&M stands for and what Texas A&M represents. Kids still get recruited off relationships and feeling. It’s such a misnomer that all of the recruits out there are looking for top dollar.”
Coach Elko acknowledged that NIL plays a major role in recruiting, but they still held on to key players
Without NIL or the ability to compete in NIL, you’re not going to be able to acquire the talent you need to compete on the field. We had a lot of really high-end players in the 2025 class that were being targeted by other programs in our conference and other programs in our state that were throwing money around… Not one of them elected to leave.”
Elko explains his decision to get more involved on the defensive side of the ball
“I’m involved (more with the defense) because, when something doesn’t meet the standard and you’re the leader of the program, you have two choices: Point the finger or dive in to help fix it. My choice was to dive in.”
Texas A&M is the hottest team on the recruiting trail right now and shows no signs of slowing down
“I think the (recruiting) momentum is really good. I think we’re going to have a good week. It should be a really, really good week.”
Coach Elko’s response to the following question: Which player would he pick to be stranded on a deserted island with?
“There is a lot of depth to this question, and I’ll have 119 kids that I didn’t pick tomorrow morning.” “I’ll go with Taurean York.”
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Texas A&M HC Mike Elko had to say during Wednesday’s Dallas Coach’s Night
Reporting by Jarrett Johnson, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
