Texas A&M Football: Will 2021 be DC Mike Elko’s last season with TAMU?
The Texas A&M Football team somehow retained one of the best assistant coaches in the country this past season when Mike Elko decided to forego an opportunity to become a head coach and instead, stay in College Station.
In 2020, he brought Texas A&M its best defense in recent memory. In terms of yardage, the Aggies were at the top of the conference, making it as difficult as possible for opposing teams to advance the football.
He was such a good offensive coordinator that was in the running to become the head coach at Kansas. It’s unclear if he was ever truly considering it, but he reportedly backed out to return to College Station and lead an experienced defense back into battle in 2021.
Texas A&M Football DC Mike Elko’s time with the Aggies may be coming to an end
The question remaining surrounding Mike Elko is whether or not he’ll return after the 2021 season. Based on the returning talent on the roster and the Aggies’ chances of making a run at the College Football Playoff, this may be a last-ditch effort to win a national championship with the Aggies.
It’s easy to see a world where he ends up departing for a head coaching job after this season. He’s simply too high-caliber of a coach to be sticking around as an assistant anywhere.
That said, Aggie fans should appreciate Elko while he is around. He has benefitted from being under a great head coach in Jimbo Fisher, but teams don’t often come around assistant coaches of his caliber.
In all likelihood, the Aggies’ defense will take a massive step backward upon his departure.
This is exactly the reason why this season is so important. Yes, there will be a brand-new offensive line and a fresh quarterback under center, but the Aggies have never relied on their offense. If this defense is elite, as it is supposed to be, Haynes King or Zach Calzada will not have to be an elite quarterback.
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2021 will showcase a team with more potential than any Texas A&M Football team in recent memory. Get ready, because a year that could be Elko’s last could be the Aggies’ first as a national title contender.