Texas A&M Aggies faced a whirlwind offseason, losing key talent as 10 notable players entered the transfer portal. With roster changes shaking up the program, many expected panic, but not head coach Mike Elko.
Instead of scrambling, Elko remains unfazed, sticking to his long-term vision and making moves that serve the Aggies’ bigger picture.
Mike Elko Gets Honest About the Future of Texas A&M
The Aggies experienced a rollercoaster 2024 season, finishing with an 8-4 record and a 5-3 standing in the SEC. They started strong at 7-1, looking like serious contenders, but momentum slipped as they won just one of their final four games.
Adding to the turbulence, Texas A&M saw an exodus of talent, with 10 key players entering the transfer portal. Here’s a list of who left the program:
- Quarterback: Conner Weigman (committed to Houston)
- Wide Receiver: Cyrus Allen
- Offensive Lineman: Hunter Erb (committed to Tulsa), Aki Ogunbiyi (committed to Colorado), Kam Dewberry (committed to Alabama), TJ Shanahan
- Tight End: Jaden Platt (committed to Arkansas)
- Defensive Line: Samu Taumanupepe (committed to Baylor), Josh Celiscar (committed to USF)
- Other: Noah Thomas (committed to Georgia)
Despite the roster shake-up, head coach Mike Elko remains unfazed. He has no intention of altering the Aggies’ practice approach or team philosophy. During his appearance on “Josh Pate’s College Football Show,” Elko made it clear that players who don’t buy into Texas A&M’s vision will struggle to fit into the program’s culture.
“Yeah, I think I’m gonna do it my way. And I think my way has just changed and evolved over the years,” Elko said. “We put clear-cut expectations in front of our kids. They understand exactly what we’re asking for.”
“We don’t try to drive them to levels of insanity like maybe back in the day when old school coaches could just push kids off that cliff or off that quarter bank as you’re talking about. And I think the way we run our program, we’re able to be very demanding, very hard, push the limits of it, but get the full buy-in that we’re looking for.”
Elko emphasized that players need to envision a long-term future with the program. If they can’t align with Texas A&M’s structure and expectations, they would struggle not just with the coaching staff but also in building chemistry with their teammates. For Elko, commitment to the Aggies’ culture is just as crucial as talent on the field.
“And I think with the way we coach and present and create the expectations of what we’re trying to do, if a kid’s not on board with that, it probably won’t work out and they probably won’t get where we wanna go,” he added.
KEEP READING: Texas A&M Alumni Break Down the 2025 Schedule
Elko has a clear vision for the Aggies: to build on their strong start while ensuring they don’t stumble down the stretch again in 2025.
He’s focused on maintaining momentum throughout the season, learning from past mistakes, and keeping Texas A&M in the hunt for championship contention.
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