Ad Disclosure
Mike Elko to Texas A&M: Fans, media react to former Aggies DC’s reported hire as head coach
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Mike Elko could be nearing a return to College Station as multiple reports have stated that the Duke head coach will take the same position with Texas A&M.
Elko, Jimbo Fisher’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021 — when he was hired by Duke — will take the reins at a pivotal time for the Aggies football program. It’s been playing catchup with Texas, who will join the SEC with Oklahoma in 2024 and could be positioned for (at worst) a New Year’s 6 bowl. Meanwhile, A&M, who ended the 2020 season a Top 4 team and as the Orange Bowl champion, never took the next step under Fisher: it missed a bowl in 2022 and hovered around .500 in 2023, costing Fisher his job.
Elko, for his part, took over for the retired David Cutcliffe in Durham and immediately breathed new life into the Duke program. The Blue Devils were 9-4 in 2022 — their most wins since 2014 — and are currently 7-5. Now, he’ll be tasked with improving the Aggies’ fortunes.
Here’s reaction (both good and bad) across social media following news of the reported hire:
Mike Elko is a great hire for Texas A&M. I have no idea if it will work out.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 26, 2023
Texas A&M made it 1,000 times more complicated than it needed to be, but Mike Elko really feels like the right decision in the end.
A familiar face that the fanbase can get behind, and has done some pretty impressive stuff at a Duke program where it’s hard to field a winner.
— Dean Straka (@DWStraka49) November 26, 2023
Mike Elko makes sense. I'm not sure it makes $100M sense. But that money is spent. Mike Elko is a better fit for Texas A&M than Mark Stoops, who remains the perfect fit for Kentucky.
— Chris Wright (@CWrightSDS) November 26, 2023
I love Mike Elko.
That is all.
— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) November 26, 2023
A text I just received from a current P5 assistant coach:
“Mike Elko is a helluva hire. The high school coaches in the state love him.” @Jason_Howell | @TA_Recruiting
— Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) November 26, 2023
Mike Elko has done terrific things at Duke. This is the best hire they could have made. https://t.co/PzK9ghd0gx
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) November 26, 2023
Texas A&M has boosters with oil money, and they contributed toward Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million buyout. But the school fired Fisher without a plan. I don’t think Mike Elko was their first choice, and I’m not sure he can do much better than 7-5.
— Ricky St. Clair (@RickyStClairII) November 26, 2023
Make Elijah Robinson DC & hire a good OC & the Mike Elko train is gonna be rolling! ?
— ? (@WreckinqCrew979) November 26, 2023
Mike Elko to TAMU from Duke effectively makes both schools worse.
— RyteSideUp (@RyteSideUp) November 26, 2023
Duke was always a stepping stone for Mike Elko. He put Duke football in a good spot for two years, let’s see if he can get Texas A&M back on track.
— Troy Hill (@TroyHill96) November 26, 2023
Who had Mike Elko as the next HC for A&M on their bingo card..
— Donna K. Riley (@dkriley1018) November 26, 2023
In what world is Mike Elko a upgrade from Mark Stoops?
— Silkk (@SILKBURNERPAGE) November 26, 2023
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
