Texas A&M fans are growing impatient. Despite a strong start in 2024, their team fell apart again late in the season. The beginning was great, but the ending was terrible, as they went 1-3 in their final four games, losing to South Carolina, Auburn, and Texas.
Head coach Mike Elko recently explained the collapse by pointing to tough back-to-back road night games and the pressure of being “the hunted” team. However, fans didn’t seem convinced by his comments. Most of them aren’t buying it. They see these explanations as just more excuses for a disappointing finish.
Mike Elko Faces Backlash After Admitting 2024 Shortcomings at Texas A&M
Texas A&M fans are getting tired of disappointment. After a strong 7–1 start in 2024, the Aggies fell apart when it mattered most. They dropped four of their last five games, including tough losses to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl and rival Texas.
Head coach Mike Elko recently opened up about the collapse during the annual SEC spring meetings. He pointed to multiple factors behind the team’s struggles, saying, “It was a lot of things. We were in situations we were not in before, back-to-back night games on the road as the team being hunted. I don’t think we handled that particularly well.”
Texas A&M’s Mike Elko on why Aggies closed last season 1-3 w/losses to South Carolina, Auburn & Texas: “It was a lot of things. We were in situations we were not in before, back to back night games on road as the team being hunted. I don’t think we handled that well when you look…
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 27, 2025
Looking ahead, things won’t get any easier. Their 2025 schedule also includes brutal road games at Notre Dame, LSU, Missouri, and Texas. That’s a major step up compared to last year’s more favorable home slate.
Even though 16 starters are returning to the Aggies’ 2025 roster, including quarterback Marcel Reed, Elko’s bold claim that Texas A&M will become a top football program has raised some questions. After all, the Aggies have not won a national title since 1939.
However, Elko’s honest confession did not sit well with fans on social media. One fan dismissed the tough schedule as “more excuses.”
Echoing this, another Twitter user wrote, “All I read/heard was excuses.” A frustrated fan bluntly said, “Try not to suck!” Meanwhile, someone mocked him, tweeting, “Buddy is not ready for Death Valley this year 🤣.”
Buddy is not ready for Death Valley this year 🤣
— Bossman Skinny (@bossman_skinny_) May 27, 2025
While Elko was a successful head coach at Duke, Aggies fans are hoping that his second year at the helm will bring real improvements rather than more postseason explanations.
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However, his comments about the challenging schedule only raised more doubts. Many now wonder if he is truly ready, mentally and emotionally, for the challenges ahead.
Elko and the Aggies will kick off his second year in College Station on Saturday, August 30, against the in-state UTSA Roadrunners. This season, they’ll have a big test against Notre Dame in South Bend and a tough SEC slate, comprising of Auburn, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, and Texas, among others.
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