COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Mike Elko has turned Duke’s program around in his first job as head coach.
He faces a much bigger challenge at No. 20 Texas A&M, where he will try to lead the Aggies to the next level after replacing the underperforming Jimbo Fisher.
Elko served as defensive coordinator with the Aggies for four years before taking the Blue Devils job after the 2021 season. He led Duke to a 16-9 record in two seasons after the team won just 10 games total in the previous three years.
The Aggies are coming off a disappointing 7-6 season in which Fisher was fired near the end of his sixth season. His departure led to a major upheaval on the roster. Elko said nearly half the team left after last season and the Aggies have 41 new scholarship players this year.
Still, Elko is encouraged by what he has seen from the Aggies since his arrival.
“It was great to see them make a conscious effort to come together and bond and be ready to build a great product for Aggie fans to be proud of in the fall,” he said. “Make no mistake, there is still a lot of work ahead of us to become the best versions of ourselves, but we are rising to the challenge. I am thrilled with our progress.”
One of the key players Texas A&M has back on the field is quarterback Conner Weigman. The former five-star recruit is healthy again after suffering a season-ending foot injury in the fourth game of last season.
“This year I wanted to be a better leader, be the voice on offense and just be the guy in the locker room,” he said. “And I think I did a pretty good job of that.”
Better Pass Rush
Texas A&M’s pass rush received a huge boost with the signing of defensive end Nic Scourton, who spent the last two seasons at Purdue. Scourton, who was named a second-team AP All American in the preseason, led the Big Ten and ranked eighth in the nation with 10 sacks in 2023.
Scourton, who went to high school five miles from Kyle Field, was undrafted by the Aggies before signing with Purdue. He’s thrilled to be back home.
“I have no hard feelings at all,” he said. “I think it just drives me to work harder… it makes me want to go out there and prove it even more.”
Scourton, who some see as a top-10 pick in early NFL draft projections, worked with Texas A&M greats Von Miller and Myles Garrett this summer.
“I gained a lot of confidence out there just because I saw that I fit in with the guys,” he said.
Owens out
The Aggies will be without Rueben Owens this season after the running back suffered a serious foot injury in a practice game. Elko said he could return if the Aggies make the playoffs.
Owens rushed for 385 yards on 101 occasions in 13 games last season. Without him, the Aggies will rely on Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss to lead the running game. Daniels led the team with 532 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season and Moss added 484 yards.
The schedule
Texas A&M will be tested on Aug. 31 when it visits seventh-ranked Notre Dame. Elko was asked if he likes playing a top-ranked team early in the season to see how his team fares.
“I’m a football coach,” he said. “I’d love to not play teams of that caliber, but I guess we have to … I think our program is very conscious that we have to hit the ground running the first time we come out of the tunnel.”
No. 11 Missouri (Oct. 5) and No. 13 LSU (Oct. 26) both visit College Station. The most anticipated game of the season is the return of the rivalry with SEC newcomer and arch-nemesis Texas when the fourth-ranked Longhorns visit on Nov. 30.
___
AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
