Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko knows exactly what’s waiting for his team on Saturday, and he didn’t shy away from saying Tennessee will bring a serious challenge.
The Vols head to College Station with the Aggies desperate for a win. Texas A&M entered the season with College Football Playoff hopes, but those expectations have slipped away as the team sits at 4-5.
Elko, now in his third year leading the program, has taken heat as the losses have piled up, especially after guiding Texas A&M to the College Football Playoff last season. With the stretch run now carrying real weight, every game matters for him.
That makes Tennessee a particularly important test, and the atmosphere should be heavy. There will likely be 100,000-plus Aggie fans in attendance, turning Saturday into a difficult road environment for the Vols.
Elko spoke about Tennessee during his weekly press conference and made clear he respects what he’s seeing from the Vols’ offense.
"Really talented running back. Really physical offensive line.
Two elite tackles. The quarterback is getting better each week.
It'll be a big challenge for us,"
He also explained why he has stuck with first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins despite the pressure building around Texas A&M’s offense. Elko said the decision comes down to what gives the Aggies the best chance to win right now.
"Just doing what I believe is the best thing to give us a chance to be successful right now, and I think that's how we evaluate everything. And if I felt like there were better options or better opportunities or better things that we could do within the program to help us win, we would certainly do them.
Right now, I believe that's our best opportunity to be successful. So I do think 450 yards points to that.
When On3 reporter Carter Karels asked Elko whether he had long-term confidence in Wiggins, the coach bristled at the question.
"That's not for now. That's a stupid question, Carter."
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Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
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That kind of performance lands with extra force this week because Texas A&M is next on the schedule, and the Aggies are already in a precarious spot after a loss to South Carolina. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and now they have to do it against a Tennessee defense that just spent an afternoon sending a very clear message. [Read more 🡒]