Did Texas A&M Football Upgrade Their Staff Across the Board?

Texas A&M Football Assembles Impressive First Staff; How Does It Stack Up Against What Preceded?

Mike Elko's initial staff for Texas A&M football has finally been rounded out, with the hire of Holmon Wiggins and the promotion of Tony Jerod-Eddie going official. The entire 10-man on field staff has been completed, and it is an impressive group indeed.

I think most Aggie fans are really bullish on what coach Elko has brought in with this first crop of assistants. There were very few names that garnered skepticism on this list; something that really could not be said about any of the Aggie staffs that Jimbo Fisher put together in recent years. For reference, here's who Elko has brought in:

OC/QBs: Collin Klein
Co-OC/WRs: Holmon Wiggins
AHC/RBs: Trooper Taylor
ST/TEs: Patrick Dougherty
OL: Adam Cushing
DC/LBs: Jay Bateman
DEs: Sean Spencer
DL: Tony Jerod-Eddie
PGC/DBs: Wesley McGriff
DBs: Ishmael Aristide

Several off-field hires have been made as well, most notably including legendary strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt. As regards the discussion of whether Texas A&M football has upgraded, I think that's worth mentioning, as it is an extremely key coaching position and one where the Aggies have needed a change for some time. Getting Moffitt in the building brings a lot of cache, and is a definite upgrade in all areas.

There are several other off-field positions where the Aggies have upgraded, almost by default. Elko brought in Derek Miller to act as the "General Manager" of football, which was a position that did not exist under Jimbo Fisher. Fisher also neglected to hire a recruiting coordinator after firing Kevin Mashack before the 2023 season, and so any hire there would have also been an upgrade by default.

But what about every other position? Did the Aggies get better across the board, or is it a mixed bag? Let's take a look, starting with the defensive side of the ball.