Texas A&M’s football program has been attempting to beat the 8-4 allegations for the last decade-plus, outside of three seasons, which, to many, makes them one of the more overrated programs in the country. This may be harsh for some, but the proof is in the numbers.
However, second-year head coach Mike Elko seemingly has the Aggies on the right track heading into the 2025 season, and compared to Jimbo Fisher, who led A&M to just one nine-win season in six years at the helm, the future looks much brighter with Elko running things.
Returning a stacked roster that features substantial updates at wide receiver with KC Cocepcion and Mario Craver out of the transfer portal, starting quarterback Marcel Reed will need to increase his production in the passing game, which shouldn’t be an impossible task playing behind what is considered the best offensive line and running back room in the SEC.
However, Texas A&M’s defense, especially the secondary, was one of the primary reasons the Aggies struggled down the stretch last season, which contributed to the “overrated” stamp that will continue to follow the program until the late-season struggles, especially on the road, finally reverse course.
On Friday, CBS Sports writer David Cobb unsurprisingly placed Texas A&M as the No. 1 most overrated and overhyped program over the last decade, basing his ranking on the Aggies’ 77-48 record, 17-26 record against AP top 25-ranked teams, average recruiting ranking (11.2), and average coach salary ($7.02 million):
“Texas A&M spent as big as anyone to try and bring about a successful decade, only to be met with mediocrity at every turn. The beginning of this 10-year window coincided with the completion of a $484 million Kyle Field renovation project. Then came the arrival of Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher, who began his coaching tenure in 2018 as the nation’s fourth-highest paid coach. Fisher was rated as an “A” hire by CBS Sports and landed four consecutive top-10 recruiting classes, including the No. 1 overall haul in 2022. But it never translated to the field, as the Aggies failed to reach 10 wins at any point in his six-year tenure. Replacement Mike Elko got off to a 7-1 start last season before finishing 8-5. A&M’s only top-10 finish since Johnny Manziel’s magical run in 2012 came during the COVID-impacted 2020 season, when the Aggies went 9-1 against a schedule that featured just one ranked regular season foe.”
Jimbo Fisher’s $77.5 million buyout also plays a significant part in Texas A&M’s muddled national perception. Still, Elko and his staff aren’t focused on the past, knowing that it won’t help fix any current or future issues, outside of avoiding the mistakes Fisher made during his tenure. No one regrets the upgrades to Kyle Field, which now includes LED lighting that will debut this season, but the ranking is fair based on the average, to below-average results over the last decade.
Time will tell if Mike Elko and Athletic Director Trev Alberts are the duo that will bring the Aggies back to glory, but so far, so good. Here is the rest of the list, which also includes Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Auburn, and others.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Is Texas A&M the most ‘overrated’ football program over the last decade?
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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