Ahead of his second season at the helm, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko isn’t anywhere near the proverbial “hot seat” after his inaugural campaign. Still, the expectations are high due to the elite talent and experience on the Aggies’ 2025 roster, while redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed enters his first season as the undisputed starter.
During his first season, Elko led the Aggies to a 7-1 start and an undefeated record in SEC play, which included signature wins over No. 9 Missouri and No. 8 LSU. However, A&M’s 1-4 finish was disappointing, but was mainly due to star running back Le’Veon Moss’s season-ending leg injury, paired with defensive lapses.
From a national perspective, Elko has earned the respect as one of the top defensive minds. After just three combined years as a head coach, he still has plenty to prove as a game manager, while second-year OC Collin Klein’s performance, especially Marcel Reed’s development, will determine Elko’s future with the program, as unfair as that may seem.
Elko has already proven himself to be one of the top recruiters in the country after landing 24 commitments in the 2026 class, and is on the verge of landing one or two more five-star commits, while the Aggies are nearly guaranteed to finish with the second or third-ranked cycle. This offseason, Elko has discussed his vision for the program, focused on landing elite prospects to develop into future NFL draft selections.
With less than 50 days before the 2025 season opener vs. UTSA, Elko was placed on the Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl on Monday. Here is more information regarding the Dodd Trophy, provided by Texas A&M’s 12thMan website:
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach…
Source link : https://aggieswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/aggies/football/2025/07/07/mike-elko-the-dodd-trophy-watch-list-texas-aggies-football/84499243007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-08 00:01:00
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