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Mike Elko is no stranger to Texas A&M fans.
The Aggies’ new head coach who is heading to College Station from Duke was at Texas A&M from 2018 to 2021 as a defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Here’s a look back at some memorable moments from Elko’s time in College Station.
Elko was a semifinalist for Frank Broyles Award
During his final season with Texas A&M in 2021, Elko was named a semifinalist for the Frank Broyles Award, which i sgiven to the top assistant coach in college football. Ultimately, he lost out to Michigan’s Josh Gattis, but that’s no small feat considering how good Michigan’s offense was under Gattis. In that season, Elko led the Aggies to a No. 3 national ranking in scoring defense as the Aggies allowed just 15.92 points per game.
He was also a semifinalist for the award in 2017 at Notre Dame.
Texas A&M allowed 30 points just 9 times under Elko
Texas A&M’s defense allowed more than 30 points just 9 times in Elko’s 4 seasons with the Aggies. That’s no small feat when you’re playing an SEC schedule.
Of those 9 games, 4 of them were against Alabama, who was the top or near the top of national rankings at the time.
Elko was also the defensive coordinator when LSU hung 72 points in a 74-72 loss, but that 7-overtime game was a bit of a fluke.
Elko’s Aggies were undefeated in bowl games
Obviously Texas A&M never reached the heights it hoped for under Elko, but the Aggies found plenty of success during his tenure.
The Aggies won at least 8 games in each of Elko’s 4 seasons, including a 9-1 record during the shortened 2020 COVID-19 season. Texas A&M also won each of its bowl games under Elko.
The Aggies won the Gator Bowl in 2018 against NC State, the Texas Bowl in 2019 against Oklahoma State and the Orange Bowl in 2020 against North Carolina. Texas A&M was slated to play in the Gator Bowl in 2021, but had to pull out due to COVID-19 issues.
Texas A&M saw most SEC wins in a season under Elko
Texas A&M had its best season since joining the SEC in 2020 under Jimbo Fisher and Elko. The Aggies went 9-1 on the season, including 8-1 in SEC play, which is the best SEC record they have had since joining the conference.
Obviously the 2020 season was a special case, but it’s hard not to wonder “what if” it had been a normal season.
