Mike Elko's postgame perspective should have Texas A&M fans fired up for the future

This loss will hang over the Texas A&M program for a while. The Aggies had their opportunities, but time and time again they came up empty-handed. 

But Mike Elko was able to find the silver lining even with disappointment. The Aggies won 11 games, their highest win total since 2012, and with sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed returning, the coach expects a motivated group to take the field next fall with one goal in mind.

Elko continued to say:

"I don't hope it's trending positively. I see it's trending. 8 wins to 11 wins. We're going to finish the season ranked. That hasn't happened here in a while. We've got to continue to elevate. We're battling to become a championship program. We've got work to do to develop this program into what it needs to become."

An influx of young talent is on the way

Texas A&M finished with a top-10 recruiting class, and it should include several freshmen that have a change to make an early impact. Aggie fans are excited about five-star pass rusher Tristian Givens, a top-25 prospect from Georgia. 

Another blue-chip defensive line prospect from Georgia, Bryce Pery-Wright, could grow into the next great Aggie interior defender. Expectations are also high for blue-chip running back KJ Edwards, one of the top players from Texas. 

One thing, however, has to change

The Aggies high win total masked how careless the offense was with the football at times. For the season Texas A&M had a minus-8 turnover margin and Elko knows that championship teams have to win the turnover battle. Unfortunately for the Aggies, their turnover problems were front and center Saturday.

It starts with Reed, who has to see the field better. His final throw of the season, an interception on a pass intended for tight end Nate Boerkircher. It was a bad decision and a bad throw to a covered receiver.

"We finished the season -8 in turnover margin, that's not a great stat," Elko said. "We need to be on the other side of that. We have to control the line of scrimmage better than we did this season, and that's really what it comes down to."