Texas A&M’s season has slid into a rough place, and Mike Elko made it clear Monday that he isn’t interested in turning the conversation into a referendum on Holmon Wiggins just yet.
The Aggies are 4-5 after a 17-9 loss to South Carolina in Week 10, and the offense has been the biggest reason the year has gone sideways. Marcel Reed has struggled, and Texas A&M’s numbers paint the same picture: the Aggies are 13th in the SEC in total offense and sit in the bottom half of the league in scoring offense, passing offense, first downs and red zone conversions.
Elko was asked by Carter Karels of On3 why he hasn’t made a change at offensive coordinator after replacing Collin Klein, who is now the coach at Kansas State. His answer centered on what he believes gives Texas A&M 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,” Elko said.
“Right now, I believe that’s our best opportunity to be successful. So I do think 450 yards points to that.
“Again, composure, finishing in the red zone changes the outcome of the offense on Saturday. So that’s obviously in part coaching, but that’s obviously something that we’ve got to correct and fix.”
When Karels followed up and asked whether Elko still had long-term confidence in Wiggins, the Texas A&M coach shut it down fast.
“That’s not for now. That’s a stupid question, Carter,” Elko responded.
The expectations coming off last year’s College Football Playoff appearance were for Texas A&M to be back in the mix again. Instead, Reed has not looked like the same player, and the offense has been nowhere near where the Aggies need it to be.
And the schedule isn’t doing them any favors. Tennessee is next, and the Volunteers bring what is arguably the best defense in the country to College Station. If Reed’s issues keep piling up, Elko is only going to keep hearing the same questions.
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Mike Elko is the one who will feel the pressure most directly. Texas A&M has long had reasons to explain away missed playoff chances, but the new format strips away a major one and raises the standard for a program that wants to be taken seriously in the postseason race. The Aggies still have to turn investment into results, and once the bracket grows, the expectation will be that they finally start looking like a team that belongs in it. [Read more 🡒]
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For a program that has sold itself on momentum, one decommitment can quickly turn into a broader question about how much more work is needed to keep the class together and protect the roster plan. Texas A&M still has the kind of profile that can attract top-end talent, but the current record puts added pressure on the staff to steady the season and reassure recruits that the long-term vision remains intact. The bigger issue now is not just replacing one lost commitment, but preventing the kind of recruiting drift that can follow when the results stop matching the message. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
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For an Aggies team coming off a loss to South Carolina, that kind of performance is a warning sign with Tennessee up next. Texas A&M still needs two wins in its final three games to reach bowl eligibility, and if the Aggies are going to keep that path alive, they will have to handle a defense that just forced three turnovers, stuffed fourth-down tries and made a conference opponent look completely overmatched. [Read more 🡒]