Nick Saban is a 'Mike Elko guy' and feels Texas A&M 'reloaded" in 2026
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After making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, entering his third season at the helm, saw a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft and will return 65% of the 2025 roster, led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who threw for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
On defense, losing unanimous All-American Edge Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season, stings, but was expected, and among A&M's 17 transfer portal additions this offseason, former Northwestern Edge Cashius Howell and several defensive line additions shore up the NFL departures, on paper, at least.
With Marcel Reed returning for his second full starting season, he'll be throwing to star junior receiver Mario Craver and Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, who brings more size at 6'4", and should open up the middle of the field for Craver, Ashton Bethel-Roman, and Terry Bussey to thrive in short to intermediate throws.
This week, Mike Elko, alongside Marcel Reed, linebacker Daymion Sanford, and safety Marcus Ratcliffe, made the trip to Tampa (FL) for SEC Media Days to preview the 2026 season, and former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who has been a fan of Mike Elko since he was hired after the 2023 season, also attended the event as an analyst for ESPN/SEC Network, while making an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, where he explained by he believes the Aggies have 'reloaded" to make another CFP run.
“Well, I’m a Mike Elko guy in terms of you know what he’s done at A&M,” Saban stated on The Pat McAfee Show. “They had 10 guys drafted. That’s more than they’ve ever had. They’ve got some of the highest rated recruiting classes, which they’ve never had in the past. Or when they did, they fell apart for whatever reasons, they’ve won more games. They play better defense. He’s one of the best defensive coaches in the country, scheme-wise, I think.
“And I think they’ve reloaded. I think they got some good players coming back. I think Marcel Reed is a really, really good quarterback who puts a lot of pressure on the defense. And I think they did a good job in a portal, and they did a good job of recruiting. I think they’re going to be one of the teams that people need to contend with in the SEC.”
Texas A&M's 2026 schedule is tough, facing road tests vs. LSU, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oklahoma before hosting the Texas Longhorns at the end of the regular season, but given the defensive depth and Marcel Reed's experience under center, and after falling to Miami 10-3 in the first round of the CFP, Mike Elko bluntly stated “I show them our trophy case and it’s empty,” when asked about what keeps his team motivated heading into the new campaign.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Nick Saban is a 'Mike Elko guy' and feels Texas A&M 'reloaded" in 2026
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