Everything Mike Elko said during Wednesday's Aggie Football Hour

We've made it! The 2026 college football season, ignoring Week 0, will officially kick off this weekend, as coach Mike Elko enters his third season at the helm with even higher expectations after leading the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

For the first time, the SEC will play nine conference games, which could result in more 9-3 and 8-4 records compared to last season, placing added pressure on the CFP Selection Committee to let in a team with more than two losses for the first time since its inception. For the Aggies, road games against LSU, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oklahoma will determine whether a return to the postseason is in the cards.

Mike Elko is confident in his revamped roster, made up of 65% of the 2025 team, 17 transfer portal additions, and the 2026 signing class, and why shouldn't he be? After a productive preseason, led by redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed's improved play and building chemistry with his deep wide receiver rotation, A&M's depth at nearly every position should result in better play down the stretch of the season.

On Wednesday, Mike Elko made the media rounds, including his second appearance of the season on the Aggie Football Hour, providing yet another preview of Texas A&M's season opener vs. Missouri State on Saturday night. Highlighting several players and position groups, here is everything Mike Elko said during Wednesday's radio show.

Mike Elko praises Texas A&M D-line coach Elijah Robinson

"When it started to be clear that he wanted to be a D-Line coach again…it was a huge priotity for us to go and get him."

Mike Elko on the state of Texas A&M's deep secondary

"I am really happy with what we have back there."

Mike Elko on Texas A&M's need to create more turnovers

"We have to do a better job of focusing, concentrating and catching the football. As coaches, we also have to put them in better positions."

Mike Elko on starting QB Marcel Reed's progress this offseason

"I am glad he is our quarterback. We believe in him. We believe in what he's capable of… he's a really, really talented player."

"He can beat in you so many different ways. He has that clutch gene."

Mike Elko on transfer LB Ray Coney

"Ray Coney has been really, really good… he got here and it was a learning curve for him."

"He did an unbelievable job of adapting. It really started to show up this summer in OTA's."

Mike Elko further confirms junior WR Terry Bussey's elite play in fall camp

"You have seen a much more explosive version of himself in fall camp."

Mike Elko on the new motto heading into the 2026 season

"The two words we have been harping this entire offseason are focus and urgency."

"There were too many times last year where we felt like that urgency and focus wasn't where it needed to be."

One game at a time is the focus

"We feel like we've done what we needed to do in the off-season, but at the end of the day it all comes down to these twelve Saturdays. So, let's go find a place to play a game. We've got one Saturday night at Kyle Field."

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Mike Elko said during Wednesday's Aggie Football Hour