Texas A&M has reportedly found Jimbo Fisher’s defensive coordinator in Notre Dame’s Mike Elko
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After failing to lure LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to College Station — A&M’s top target agreed to stay in Baton Rouge after landing the richest assistant coaching contract in college football history with a four-year, $10 million guaranteed deal — the Aggies have reportedly moved on to Plan B and are set to announce the signing of Notre Dame defensive coordinator Mike Elko.
News of this hire was first reported by Billy Liucci of TexAgs.
Elko has only been at Notre Dame for one season after a highly successful three-year stint as defensive coordinator at Wake Forest.
Hearing Notre Dame DC Mike Elko to Texas A&M is happening. Expect an official announcement shortly.
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) January 4, 2018
Following the initial report, Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated is also reporting the hire:
SOURCE: #NotreDame’s Mike Elko is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at #TAMU.. the move was 1st reported by TexAgs.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2018
This is a terrific hire by Jimbo Fisher. Mike Elko’s rep is stellar & and has been for years among his peers. He did great work at Wake & ND.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2018
The 40-year-old coordinator led Wake Forest to the nation’s No. 20 scoring defense in 2016 despite not having a single four- or five-star recruit on his unit, according to College Football Talk. Last season, his Notre Dame defense finished No. 31 in the nation in scoring defense. Before he arrived, the Irish ranked No. 61 in that category the year prior.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
