Mike Elko calls Elijah Robinson a priority for his Texas A&M staff

Elijah Robinson won’t be Texas A&M’s next head coach, but he’s still wanted on staff. On Monday, new head coach Mike Elko revealed his hopes for Robinson to remain an Aggie.

“Elijah will certainly be a priority,” Elko said. “Getting him to stay here is a huge priority. That process has already begun. Obviously, him and I have a strong relationship from the last time we were here and we’re certainly gonna do everything in our power to make sure that this is the place he believes is the right fit for him and his future.”

Elko has history with Robinson. When Elko served as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2018-21, he saw Robinson join the program. Robinson spent four seasons as the team’s defensive line coach before being promoted to assistant head coach and run game coordinator in 2022.

It didn’t take long for Robinson to receive another promotion. After Texas A&M decided to part ways with former head coach Jimbo Fisher, athletic director Ross Bjork named Robinson the team’s interim head coach.

With Robinson in the driver’s seat, the Aggies went 1-1. In his debut game as head coach, Robinson led Texas A&M to a comfortable 38-10 victory over Abilene Christian. Robinson couldn’t replicate his success in Week 13, falling 42-30 to LSU.

While Elko is in no rush to secure Robinson on his staff, he certainly envisions the Texas A&M staple in his vision for the Aggies.

“I don’t think you ever want to put a timetable on it,” Elko said. “You want to do it as quickly as possible, as efficiently as possible, but we have to get it right.

“We have to get the right people in this program to lead these young men and that’s from a coordinator perspective, that’s from a position coach perspective and that’s from a recruiting office perspective. We have to build this staff to match what we’re capable of being and as long as it takes to get that right is as long as it will take.”

Mike Elko’s contract details

Elko is certainly being paid for his efforts. The 46-year-old head coach will have a base salary of $7 million. Further, Bjork placed a heavy focus on performance-based incentives in the contract.

Wanting to be one of the best programs in college football, the expectation is to compete for national championships. If Elko can do so on an annual basis, he will earn himself a nice chunk of change.

• $1 million for making the College Football Playoff
• $1.5 million for advancing to the CFP Quarter Finals and/or winning the SEC
• $2 million for advancing to the CFP Semi Finals
• $2.5 million for advancing to the CFP national championship game
• $3.5 for winning the CFP national championship

Elko is ready to meet expectations.

“I just think when you look at what this program is capable of?” Elko said. “What we’ve got to do is we’ve got to fulfill that potential.”