Furious Elko hints at dark skies ahead for architects of disappointing A&M defense

Mike Elko doesn't pull any punches in evaluating Texas A&M football's defense after late-game meltdown vs. USC

Texas A&M football fans are waking up to the realization that their team blew a 17-point lead that they held late in the second half. For those fans who stayed up to watch the whole thing, there was doubtless a lot of tossing and turning after the fact— this was a game that the Aggies should have won, without a doubt.

But, thanks to a porous defensive performance, it slipped away. Allowing the Trojans back in the game, with the help early on of some friendly calls from the ACC crew, was one thing, but after the Aggies scored to go ahead with 1:49 left in the game, all the defense needed was one more stop.

They couldn't get it.

After the game, Mike Elko spoke with the media, and when asked about what gives him optimism going forward, he was scathingly honest.

This could just be a simple expression that he believes the defense will be better next year no matter what. But given the context, it certainly seems as though it could be a nod to the fact that there are some big changes coming on that side of the ball.

Elko being a defensive coach but rolling out a unit that had so many busts on the back end was, plainly speaking, quite surprising. Sometimes it seemed to be personnel, as when Jaydon Hill gave up long TD after long TD. But in games like what we saw last night, it looked way more systemic.

The calls to fire Jay Bateman have grown pretty loud, even from the more even-keeled Texas A&M football fans. You don't run your program based on what the fans want, of course, but there are some questions that simply have to be addressed. That was the case earlier this season, and they remained unaddressed down the stretch.

If this quote is any indication, though, Elko seems intent on dealing with the issue. What form that takes, exactly, is something we'll have to wait to see.