Mike Elko reveals his first impressions of Bucky McMillan

The end of the 2024-25 winter sports season has come and gone and, with it, several coaching transitions. Including the one at Texas A&M, where Bucky McMillan takes over for Buzz Williams.

Williams took the head coaching job at Maryland following the season, leaving the Aggies with a void. They quickly moved to hire the Samford coach. Already, he has had a chance to meet with football coach Mike Elko. Elko revealed that news in a post-practice interview on Wednesday.

“I did meet him. Seems like a great guy,” Elko said. “Got a chance to meet him, got a chance to meet his mom and dad, who seem like great people. Met a couple of the coaches who were here already but I didn’t cross paths with when they were here. Seemed like a great staff.”

McMillan had a strong showing at Samford, where he reached the NCAA Tournament during the 2023-24 season. In each of the last four years, McMillan won more than 20 games with the Bulldogs.

So while there are probably small things Elko can help with when it comes to getting acclimated to campus life at Texas A&M, the winning should come pretty naturally for Bucky McMillan. That’s all he did at Samford.

“I will certainly be here, be a resource for him in any way that he requires it. If he needs it,” Elko said. “I don’t think I have any blanket statements other than it’s a really cool place, a really special place to be. And I think we have a great culture in this athletic department right now. A lot of coaches get along and support each other really well.

“And we’re here, however we can help and support you through the transition. I only offered to him like I have a little feeling of what it’s being like being in his shoes when you get dropped in in the middle of the transfer portal and what all that feels like. But I don’t know that that helps in any way, shape or form.”

That level of connection could really help Bucky McMillan and his staff. After all, the SEC proved to be the most difficult conference in all of college basketball last season. McMillan will need all the help he can get. He’ll get it from the fanbase, too.

“I think it’s cool because, with anything you do, I say it’s about the people. You know that. It’s about the people. Like, these buildings and this office and all this? It’s fantastic but that’s not going to win us any games, right? That’s not going to win us a game. It’s about the people we have in this program,” Bucky McMillan said. “Like, you love this university. Why? Because it’s got nice buildings or because you love the people associated with it? When there’s a connection between all people, that’s when special things happen.

“And it’s really special if people can go through the adversity together and come out on the other side because that’s when it becomes so significant, when it’s difficult, right. Like, when it’s really difficult and you have to go through the lows to get to the highs? When you go through that together, it’s that much more rewarding.”