Mike Elko explains why he sees Texas A&M as the flagship school in the state

Freshly-minted Texas A&M Aggies leader Mike Elko wholeheartedly believes in his program, as he enters his first season as the head coach of the team.

Elko’s in a unique spot, as this isn’t his first go-round in College Station. While he re-joins Texas A&M after a couple of season as Duke’s head coach, Elko spent the bulk of his career as a defensive coordinator, a position he held at Texas A&M from 2018 through 2021.

In his first time leading a program, however, he did not disappoint which led him back to College Station and becoming the Aggies’ next head coach. It’s evident he holds the Aggies in high regard, and he believes they can become the face of college football in the Texas.

“I think that statement was made in reference to our role focusing with high school coaches in the state than it was comparing us to any other school in the state,” Elko said, regarding his statement proclaiming Texas A&M as the state’s flagship school in February, via SEC Media Days. “I just think — and I followed it up after with saying one of. It’s not about — we have two great brands in this state. And the nice thing now is we’re in the same conference and we play each other. That stuff will get settled in recruiting battles and on the field.

“We believe we have an infrastructure and the resources at Texas A&M to be the premier football program in the country. We’re not the only school that thinks that. I think our focus is trying to become the best version of ourself. If we do that, the success will follow with that.”

Truly, it’ll all boil down to which school plays better within the SEC, and, of course, which school wins when the Aggies face the Longhorns once again. Still, Elko knows what this place can be, as was on hand for some of the most memberable moments of the Jimbo Fisher era.

From 2018-2021, Elko was the defensive coordinator for the Aggies’ most successful stint under Fisher which included two eight-win seasons, and two nine-win seasons including one year that saw Texas A&M finish No. 5 in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

Moving forward, Mike Elko believes Texas A&M can get back to what made them successful during his first sting with the Aggies. Time will tell if he’s able to get the job done, but the belief is strong in College Station entering a new era.

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.