Everything Mike Elko said at the Houston A&M Club on Monday night

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Before Mike Elko takes the podium for his appearance at SEC Media Days on Wednesday afternoon, the third-year Texas A&M head coach took a short trip to the Houston A&M Club on Monday night, as the 2026 season opener vs. Missouri State is just six weeks away.

It’s been a busy offseason for Elko and his revamped coaching staff, now featuring former wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins as the new offensive coordinator and Lyle Hemphill as the new defensive coordinator, a move that received mixed responses from the Aggie fan base. Still, after leading the Aggies to the College Football Playoff, Elko deserves trust heading into Year 3.

Before a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Elko landed 17 additions from the transfer portal, replacing key starters, while bolstering what now looks like an elite secondary, with former Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton adding more size to an already established WR room built on speed and physicality, with junior wideout Mario Craver leading the way.

Elko had plenty to say on Monday night, including a key update regarding junior wide receiver Terry Bussey’s health status before he, alongside quarterback Marcel Reed, linebacker Daymion Sanford, and safety Marcus Ratcliffe, spoke to the media at SEC Media Days.

The Aggies are getting it done in the classroom

“We had a 3.07 GPA this season. We also had 56 of our 85 scholarship players have a 3.0 GPA or higher, including 75% of our incoming freshman. When you talk about doing things the right way, we’re doing things the right way.”

It’s okay to be excited; Mike Elko certainly is

“We’re excited for this season. We’re excited to show that as a program, we are capable of reloading.”

Mike Elko on where QB Marcel Reed needs to improve this season

“Marcel Reed is becoming a more consistent elite player. He took massive strides as a quarterback, elevating himself and our offense. He was in the Heisman race all the way down to the end.”

Mike Elko on taking the vaunted “next step” this season

“That’s our challenge for us to take the next step. Everyone asks what the markers are. The markers are consistently putting us in a position for the trophy year in and year out.”

Two key Aggie wide receivers are healthy heading into the fall

“Ashton Bethel-Roman made a developmental jump this year. Terry Bussey is finally healthy. People don’t realize how hard it is to get ready for football season when you’re injured in the offseason.”

Mike Elko on RB Rueben Owens returning for the most important season of his career

“It’s great to have Rueben Owens back. He’s another kid who hasn’t been that healthy and now has put together six, seven, eight months of great work and great health.”

Texas A&M’s secondary is tied with Alabama for the deepest unit in the SEC

“Defensively, it starts with the secondary. For me, being the secondary coach, this is the best secondary I’ve had at Texas A&M.”

Texas A&M remains a defensive line NFL factory

“On the defensive line, we have replaced NFL defensive linemen pretty much every year since I’ve been a part of Texas A&M since 2018. We’ve had more linemen drafted since 2018 than any program in the country.”

2026 is a massive season for senior DL DJ Hicks

“It’s DJ Hicks’ time. He’s a kid who’s been working extremely hard over the last few years to be a fundamental master on the defensive line. He will for sure lead that line.”

Mike Elko on Texas A&M’s 2026 offensive line, featuring four new starters

“If you look at the combination of experienced transfers with very talented youth, what we have is a much deeper offensive line than we even had last year.”

Mike Elko on Texas A&M’s No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class

“One of the things I’m most proud of is the character makeup of a lot of the kids we have. These kids are wired the right way.”

More from Elko on the 2027 recruiting class

“What sets them apart is the group of individuals in that class. We had multiple members only on one official visit. They are building culture and connections with their future teammates.”

Mike Elko on senior linebacker Daymion Sanford

“Daymion (Sanford) is an amazing kid. The nature of every football season is that injuries happen. We want to be a program that continues to grow regardless of circumstance. I wish it were different circumstances, but the reality is we have to be ready to go at the linebacker position.”

Mike Elko on his goals for Texas A&M now, and for the future

“Our goal is to win championships in the SEC and the country. We don’t hide behind that, but we are grounded in our reality. There is a growth and process going into this. Success within a program sometimes is fast and sometimes is non-linear. Whatever it takes, you have our total and full commitment that we want to get there.”

Mike Elko on (of course) what beating Texas this season would mean for the program

“It is not lost on me what that game means to us. It’s not lost on me that we have not had success. It’s a very important piece of this season. If you want to meet me on the way out, I’ll give you the real answer to that question.”

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Mike Elko said at the Houston A&M Club on Monday night

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