"This is a real program" Texas A&M HC Mike Elko has harsh words after convincing win over LSU
Going into halftime, the LSU Tigers felt like they were going to get their seventh win of the season as they had a 17-7 lead. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had Twitter buzzing with his performance and the NFL-caliber throws he was making. Things were going great for the Tigers until Aggies head coach Mike Elko decided […]
Going into halftime, the LSU Tigers felt like they were going to get their seventh win of the season as they had a 17-7 lead. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had Twitter buzzing with his performance and the NFL-caliber throws he was making.
Things were going great for the Tigers until Aggies head coach Mike Elko decided to make a change at quarterback with Marcel Reed taking over at quarterback. The Aggies proceeded to outscore the Tigers 31-6 over the final 30 minutes for a convincing 38-23 victory.
This was arguably Elko's biggest win as the head coach of the Aggies. It's only lasted eight games thus far but he has them on the right track to being a factor in the College Football Playoff.
After the game, Elko didn't mince words when talking about his program.
"I think it's the way the young people. I think the things that we talk about the messaging, how we bring really good people into the building, we talk about doing things together. We talk about culture, and everyone talks about it, but then we go out and we live it every day, and I think we back up our actions. We're very honest, we're very open. And this is a real program. It's not fake. It's not a politician running this program talking fast and BS and everybody. This is a real program. And for all the recruits out there, This is a real place and if you want to be really good at football."
These words have some interesting timing. They came after he beat his former boss in Brian Kelly whom he served as his defensive coordinator at Notre Dame in 2017. They also came after Kelly spoke highly of Elko earlier this week.
“Yeah, very similar in terms of his demeanor,” Coach Kelly said about Elko. “He is, first of all, he's extremely well organized. He has a plan for everything. He is demanding on his players and his staff, but never demeaning. He is fair and has a standard and an expectation. Communicates well with players, and that's why he's successful. I mean, he has all the important components of a leader, and saw that when he was my defensive coordinator, and knew that he was destined to be a leader of a football program in a very short period of time.”
Could Elko have been talking about his predecessor Jimbo Fisher instead? Things weren't great in College Station under Fisher, as he was 45-25 as the Aggies head coach, but a paltry 11-11 record in his final two seasons. In his first season, Elko already has seven wins and has a 5-0 record in conference play, something Fisher was never able to accomplish.
Either way, Elko has this program on the right track and if he keeps winning games, he can say whatever he wants.
