In hiring Mike Elko, Texas A&M hopes blue-collar, no-nonsense method lastly leads Aggies to promised land

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — When Texas A&M employed Jimbo Fisher in 2017, the Aggies hoped to make an announcement. This system gave him a dateless nationwide championship plaque in expectation that he would lead it to the promised land. As Fisher exited his non-public jet as coach for the primary time that December, he was greeted with a maroon carpet and army band serenade. He was handed some of the eye-popping contracts in school soccer historical past earlier than teaching a recreation. 

In Mike Elko, the Aggies have employed Fisher’s foil. 

“My imaginative and prescient for this system may be very easy,” Elko mentioned at his introductory press convention. “We’re going to construct the premier soccer program within the nation. We’re not going to speak about it anymore, we’re going to be about it.”

Elko arrived in Aggieland for the primary time as a part of Fisher’s preliminary workers in 2018. With Elko in this system, Texas A&M went 34-13, together with an Orange Bowl victory in 2020. That success landed Elko the Duke job, which he instantly was a nine-win debut in 2022. That was adopted by a 7-5 marketing campaign in 2023 that, though disappointing in some respects with the harm to QB Riley Leonard, nonetheless represented achievement in Durham, North Carolina. 

As such, bringing Elko again to School Station made all of the sense on the earth, however the course of wasn’t as reduce and dry. He emerged from the morass following a kerfuffle over the weekend through which Kentucky coach Mark Stoops gave the impression to be Texas A&M’s high goal … earlier than he wasn’t. 

Regardless, Elko stays a well-known selection. Aggie higher-ups are hoping it is the fitting one. 

Elko’s contract is likely one of the most unusual within the SEC. He’ll earn a aggressive base wage of $42 million over six years. The inducement numbers are off the charts, nevertheless. Elko will make a $1 million bonus for making the School Soccer Playoff. It extends to $1.5 million for profitable the SEC or reaching the quarterfinals. A nationwide championship rewards him with an exorbitant $3.5 million. 

If Elko reaches any of the postseason incentives, an additional yr is mechanically added onto his contract. In distinction, Fisher signed a 10-year, $75 million contract that was absolutely assured. He was fired simply two years right into a 10-year, $95 million extension, leaving him greater than $70 million in buyout cash. 

“We needed to be truthful available in the market, however we additionally needed to say, ‘Hey, look, I believe the panorama can change the place you really should earn issues,'” Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork mentioned. “And if anyone believes in themselves, believes of their plan, they’ve the fitting method, they will earn it.” 

If Elko is fired within the first three seasons, he can be owed 75% of the remaining cash on his contract. If he is fired within the remaining three seasons, that quantity jumps to 80%. Elko has signed a memorandum of understanding, however will formally signal the contract after it’s offered to Texas A&M’s Board of Regents. 

Again to fundamentals

Since 2000, Texas A&M has been targeted on making an announcement about its place on the earth. In a a lot completely different time, Texas A&M poached Dennis Franchione from Alabama and Mike Sherman from the NFL, the place he was an offensive coordinator. Later, Kevin Sumlin flew on the “SwagCopter” after Johnny Manziel introduced Texas A&M’s consideration to new heights. After which there was Jimbo. 

On the contrary, Elko is a blue-collar throwback. The New Jersey native’s first coordinator job was on the Division III Service provider Marine Academy earlier than rising up by the Northeast and Midwestern teaching worlds. Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson introduced him to FBS prominence earlier than he landed at Notre Dame and later Texas A&M. 

Bjork acknowledged that he spoke to not less than 25 coaches as a part of the search, together with not less than 5 on Saturday alone. Finally, after the Stoops state of affairs settled, Elko emerged because the chief. 

Throughout a 9-1 marketing campaign in 2020, the Aggies protection ranked No. 28 nationally in scoring protection below Elko, holding opponents to simply 21.7 factors per recreation. Throughout this season at Duke, the Blue Devils held opponents to simply 19.8 factors per recreation. Duke went 16-9 over the previous two seasons below Elko. Texas A&M went 12-12 in the identical span below Fisher. 

“It is actually arduous when you have got excessive expectations and are available up quick,” Elko mentioned. “As arduous as that’s for the followers and individuals who help this system, it is even tougher for the youngsters who put in the entire work and the coaches who put in the entire work.”

He continued, “A few of it’s simply recharging, offering a recent perspective, giving them one thing to rekindle that fireplace, and provides them one thing to consider in transferring ahead and holding them to that each step alongside the best way.” 

Do not suppose Elko is overlooking offense, although. Guarantees of an explosive, trendy unit could be a direct distinction to the archaic techniques of the Fisher period. Elko’s $11 million assistant coach price range is smaller than the one Fisher loved however nonetheless ranks among the many finest in school soccer. A star offensive coordinator can be a key rent. 

Elko represents a throwback to some of the beloved Texas A&M coaches of all time. R.C. Slocum coached below Jackie Sherrill for seven seasons as defensive coordinator. In 1989, he was promoted to the full-time job and went on to guide Texas A&M to 4 convention championships in 14 years. The Aggies haven’t received a convention – or perhaps a divisional – championship since he was fired in 2002. 

The blue-collar mentality with a contemporary method neatly suits Texas A&M. The traditionally agricultural establishment has constructed its id by toughness and grit, largely in distinction to the glitzier College of Texas down the block in Austin, Texas. Slocum introduced blue-collar, bodily defenses to Texas A&M throughout his profitable tenure. He left because the winningest coach in Texas A&M historical past. Elko made certain to cease and shake Slocum’s hand on the best way off the rostrum. 

Texas A&M simply accomplished 84 years with out profitable a nationwide championship, courting again to 1939. Whereas no clean plaque is coming Elko’s approach, his contract construction leaves little question of the last word targets. 

“I simply suppose once you have a look at what this program is able to, what we have to do is we have to meet that potential, I believe that occurs with wok,” Elko mentioned. “We will not simply say we need to arrive someplace. We have to be dedicated to all of the work that it will take from in the present day till we kick off subsequent September of doing that.”