Texas A&M HC Mike Elko gushes about two not so secret weapons that should propel Aggies toward College Football Playoff
Cashius Howell and Taurean York could carry Texas A&M and their special defense to the playoff
Mike Elko and his Texas A&M Aggies have been playing extraordinary football this season. They’re 5-0, averaging 35 points a game on offense, and putting together an elite impenetrable defense over the last few weeks.
Marcel Reed and the offense has received plenty of well deserved credit for their huge steps forward this season. However, after the defense’s slow start and 40 points allowed to Notre Dame, some of the Aggies’ best players on that side of the ball haven’t been receiving the hype the should.
Mike Elko made sure to change that this week when he met with SEC media as he couldn’t help but sing the praises of both defensive end Cashius Howell and linebacker Taurean York. The two players who will need to continue being everything on defense for A&M if they want to make it to the College Football playoff.
Key Stats for Cashius Howell and Taurean York
- Texas A&M edge defender Cashius Howell leads all SEC defenders in sacks with seven so far through just five games of play.
- Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York ranks fifth among all SEC defenders in tackles.
- Cashius Howell is posting near a 20% pass rush pressure rate. That’s higher than the average first round pass rusher selection in the NFL Draft (over the past 10 years of pressure data tracking).
- Taurean York is one of just three SEC defenders with 30+ tackles, a sack, and a pass defended this season.
Mike Elko gushes over Cashius Howell & Taurean York as his two stars on defense
Taurean York and Cashius Howell both garnered plenty of hype ahead of the 2025 college football season as possible early NFL Draft picks next spring, but once the preseason mock draft season died down it seems they were a bit forgotten nationally. Not so for coach Elko and Aggies fans. When asked about his star players this week, coach Elko couldn’t help but talk about the experience, instincts, leadership, and study that sets apart Taurean York in particular:
“I think it’s probably two things. I think one, he has tremendous natural instincts. He’s been playing the linebacker position for a really long time, and that’s becoming more rare and rare. Nowadays, you see a lot of college linebackers being position swaps–ex-running back, ex-safety. With Taurean [York], and he’s been a kid who’s played linebacker for a really long time. So I think that helps with his natural instincts. Then from a preparation standpoint, he’s unlike anybody that I’ve ever been around. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in terms of his film study, his quality of preparation, his ability to watch tape and process through, ‘Here’s a call, here’s my reads, here’s what I’m seeing’, as opposed to just watching tape. Sometimes a lot of kids are just watching it and not really getting a ton out of it. I think he’s really, really effective with with what he gets out of film study. And he puts in a lot of time into his film study.”
York has been absolutely balling out. He’s already racked up 34 tackles, a sack, a pass defended, and continues to showcase incredibly impactful play, making critical stops. It was all over the Auburn tape, and Aggies can expect much more where that came from.
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Cashius Howell has taken huge leaps forward this season as a pass rusher and run defender. It was noted in the SEC media call this week that Howell’s development likely has something to do with learning from great pass rushers like Shemar Stewart (among others at A&M). Mike Elko shared his thoughts on that legacy for the Aggies, but also how hard Howell has worked to get where he is today:
“That’s what we have tried to build here…There has been a line of really talented NFL players that have come through here…To be able to hand down what that growth looks like, what it means to be a pro, is really something that’s ingrained in our defensive line DNA right now. That’s kind of become the norm. As it speaks specifically about Cassius [Howell], he handled his offseason phenomenally. I think he went to work to become a better player. I think he got a taste of success a little bit last year in the SEC. I think he knew he could play in this league at a really high level. And I think he really put to put in the work this offseason to grow and develop and go out and have a really talented senior year. And so I’m just happy for him that all that hard work is paying off the right way. It’s always a great reward for kids who put in the time.”
Howell is now leading the SEC in sacks. He’s posting a pass rush pressure rate of about 20% which is higher than the average first round pick in the NFL at his position. He’s missed exactly zero tackles on the season, compared to an 18% mark last year. Howell’s astronomical improvement has taken Texas A&M’s defense to an elite level.
If both Howell and York continue to play at the level they are, making everyone around them on defense better, the Texas A&M Aggies are seriously going to push to make it to the SEC Championship Game, if not earn a first round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Opposing defenses are 1 of their last 25 on third down conversion attempts. The team is giving up 2.3 yards per carry over the last two games. And it’s largely because of these two star players. Aggies fans just need to hope they keep this unbelievable play going.
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