Mike Elko eyes 'doubling down' on Texas A&M's 2025 success

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Texas A&M's 2026 preseason officially kicked off on Tuesday afternoon as coach Mike Elko, entering his third season at the helm, spoke to the local media, accompanied by tight end Micah Riley, center Mark Nabou Jr., and safety Dalton Brooks, who all previewed the upcoming season, while Elko provided several key updates, including senior linebacker Daymion Sanford's health status.

After revealing that Sanford is on track to return for the season opener vs. Missouri State, Elko stated that he and his staff are "excited" for the position battles among returning starters, 17 offseason transfer additions, and the 2026 signing class, especially along the offensive and defensive line after a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Set to replace four starting offensive linemen, OL coach Adam Cushing will have his hands full, as Mark Nabou is the lone returning starter, while four SEC transfers with extensive starting experience are slated to fill the starting spots at both tackle and guard.

"We're excited about the fact that I don't know who some of the starters are going into fall camp."

"There's a lot of competition across the board, and ultimately, that elevates everything in your program."

Finishing 11-2 and 7-1 in SEC play, Elko led the Aggies to their first appearance in the College Football Playoff after ending his inaugural campaign at 8-4, including a miserable 1-4 record down the stretch, capped off by a last-second loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. Matching last season's success will be tough given the demanding 9-game SEC schedule, but going backward isn't an option for Elko and Co.

"This program has had a really hard time doubling down on success. That's our challenge."

Under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M never finished with more than eight wins in back-to-back seasons, including ending the 2022 season at 5-7 just two seasons after finishing 9-1, which resulted in Fisher earning his massive extension, which is still being paid off to this day.

It's clear that Texas A&M's national perception has changed for the better under Mike Elko, whose coaching acumen and background as one of the top defensive minds directly translated into last season's historic success, and thanks to a reliable coaching staff and S&C coach Tommy Moffitt, it's okay for Aggie fans to elevate their expectations year after year.

"What you do in the summer is critical. We talk about the offseason being a four-quarter offseason… Fall camp is quarter four."

"Tommy (Moffitt) does a phenomenal job of establishing culture… The strides and development, you will be impressed with what this team looks like."

Texas A&M's strong culture has been established since Elko and Moffitt combined forces, which has directly resulted in landing consecutive top-10-ranked signing classes, but the proof is in the pudding and finishing at least 10-2 should guarantee a spot in the CFP.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Mike Elko eyes 'doubling down' on Texas A&M's 2025 success

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