One of college football’s most respected analysts, former CBS sports’ Dennis Dodd recently retired and sat down with TexAgs to not just discuss his lengthy and fascinating coverage career, but also provide some insight regarding Texas A&M’s football future under head coach Mike Elko, who is entering his second season at the helm.
This offseason, Texas A&M has not been in the national spotlight, which is a very positive development for a program needing less widespread attention to fix its issues in-house. After the spring football season, including the annual Maroon & White spring game, starting quarterback Marcel Reed, his new receiving corps, and the defenses’ deep edge rotation all made plays during a relatively tame scrimmage.
So far, the Aggies are still considered a Top 25 team entering the 2025 campaign, but due to their tough schedule, including road tests against Notre Dame, Missouri, Arkansas, LSU, and of course, the season finale vs. Texas in Austin. Still, the keys to winning on the road are solid quarterback play combined with blocking up front and a consistent running game, two areas of strength for the Aggies, while Reed’s improved play in the pocket remains to be seen.
Dodd, during his TexAgs interview, has the same questions as the Aggies, especially the “long term” progress under Mike Elko, which needs to begin showing substantial progress in Year 2.
“For Texas A&M, you have to play the same team in year two, but flip the venue. That was tough last year. You have to go to Notre Dame. You have to go to Missouri. A&M has a good recruiting class. You have Texas there, though. They are in the SEC now. I think Mike Elko has laid a good foundation. It remains to be seen what long-term progress will be made. Everything is on the table. The potential in the SEC is unlimited.”
Every team that recruits at a high level, especially hitting every region of the country, has a chance to build an elite program, so it’s more than fair to say that Texas A&M is on the right track. Dodd’s experience covering the last two decades of Aggie football led to an interesting observation regarding the program’s mass appeal.
“I was there for the Johnny Manziel stuff and the game in 1998. I should put that on my list. Kansas State was up, and we know how it ended with A&M winning in overtime. They can’t seem to get over thre hump. Some of it was a selection of coaches. Some of it was Heisman trophy winners leaving, like Kyler Murray. Some of it is their recruiting not measuring up. Part of it is chasing Texas, which they will continue to do forever. It’s hard to put your finger on. It’s hard to blame anybody when you have the best of everything there. There is no reason A&M should not be a contender for a national championship every year. Step on that campus. Who wouldn’t want to play there?”
Again, results are results, and Texas A&M has not won a conference championship since 1998 or achieved more than nine wins since the 2020 campaign. After finishing 1-4 with an 8-5 overall record last season, Elko went out and hired defensive assistant Lyle Hemphill, and combined with the transfer portal additions, and 10th-ranked 2025 signing class, the Aggies are set up for success this season, but until we see the results, any preseason “hype” is pointless.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ‘Who wouldn’t want to play there?’ Dennis Dodd discusses Texas A&M’s future with TexAgs
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
