COLLEGE STATION — Ahead of a Southeastern Conference showdown against Texas A&M’s first-year coach, a veteran football coach praised the new coach for instilling a tougher culture at Kyle Field.
“The standards you want people to work towards in terms of effort, toughness, intangibles, discipline… (he) obviously did that really well,” the opposing coach said. “They’re a completely different kind of team.”
Returning A&M players also praised the new coach, vowing to have “changed the culture” from his previous apparent lackadaisical demeanor.
Article continues below this ad
“I’ll always be businesslike,” the player vowed. “I love it.”
The year is 2018, the opposing coach is Nick Saban, the returning A&M player is linebacker Tyrell Dodson, and both are talking about new coach Jimbo Fisher replacing Kevin Sumlin. This is the story of college football, which is only a year younger than the sport itself. A new, more solid coach tightly tightened the ship’s loose screws.
SEC Power Rankings: Aggies rise to top spot
The story comes as Mike Elko, along with new strength coach Tommy Moffitt, is the newcomer who created a business-like culture around A&M after Fischer was fired last November, according to many players. is now emerging.
“The culture has been a big change,” said redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed, who spent last season at A&M under Coach Fisher. “I give credit to Coach Elko, the coaching staff and Coach Moffitt. He has done a great job with us in the weight room and pushed us to be the best we can be.”
Article continues below this ad
The early return was certainly exciting for longtime loyal (and long-suffering) A&M fans. The last time they saw their favorite program win the league was in 1998 when the Aggies made it to the Big 12.
The 10th-ranked Aggies (7-1, 5-0 SEC) won five league games for the first time since joining the powerhouse SEC in 2012, but Sumlin and Fisher have played together for more than 10 seasons. I couldn’t get the win. A&M will seek its sixth straight SEC win Saturday night against South Carolina (4-3, 2-3).
Elko was asked after the Aggies’ 38-23 home victory over the then No. 1 Aggies last weekend. 8 Reasons LSU “This team seems to play hard for you.”
“I think what they value is pure honesty,” Elko replied, feeling understandably euphoric in the minutes of the Aggies’ win over their Sabine River rivals. “We’ve been very upfront with them and I’m the front line command guy. I’m always around them. I give them hugs and pats on the back. I’m not the type to do that, but I’m always with them.
“I think they appreciate it and appreciate the message and how real and consistent it is, and I think that’s how we got to this point. ”
Article continues below this ad
Reality: Elko, who did an overall great job in his first season, took over the Aggies’ most benevolent schedule in his 13th season in the SEC. Every ranked opponent A&M has played or will face this season, starting with a season-opening loss to No. 8 Notre Dame, will gather at Kyle Field and compete in traditional league play. Powerhouses Alabama and Georgia are not among A&M’s opponents.
Elko has capitalized on that legacy in the past, with A&M comfortably defeating then-top 10 opponents in Missouri, LSU in Kyle, and rival and current No. 6 Texas State defeating the Aggies on Nov. 30. We will compete at our home base.
A&M will now play at South Carolina on Saturday night, at home against New Mexico State on Nov. 16, and at Auburn on Nov. 23. The combined record of these three teams is 9 wins and 13 losses.
More on Aggies: Mike Elko says who will start QB vs. South Carolina
“Coach Elko did a phenomenal job in his first year,” University of South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said Tuesday. “This team is operating at a high level in all three phases, is extremely talented and extremely well-coached.”
Article continues below this ad
Elko, who served as Fisher’s defensive coordinator at A&M from 2018 to 2021 before spending the past two seasons as Duke’s head coach, inherited a ton of talent from Fisher and was quick to mix in a number of playmakers through the transfer portal. Combined.
The Aggies ended their first year under Coach Fisher in 2018 with a 9-4 victory over North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl. After the 2020 season, all the cultural claims about Fisher appeared to be true. At the time, A&M was 9-1 in a pandemic-centered year, and its fourth-place finish in the Associated Press poll was the Aggies’ highest finish in nearly a season since the championship. Won the national title in 1939.
It all unraveled over the next three seasons, including the final two without Elko. If Elco is to surpass Fisher in the “culture” category, meaning it will need to finish at least in the top three in the next few years, it will have to move closer to contending for a national title.
At a press conference this week, Elko was told by an editor at A&M Sports Magazine that the Aggies’ “fan base really embraces you because you’re blue-collar, hard-working and have top style…” It is said that
Article continues below this ad
In the end, a smiling Elko interjected, knowing that the fans supported the left side of the win/loss column and everything else was just icing on the cake.
“And seven wins,” Elko said with a laugh as he said of the eight-try victory, which propelled the Aggies into the top 10 with one-third of the regular season left. “I’m not naive.”