Why Mike Elko's low-key approach, drama-less offseason was welcomed at Texas A&M

The difference between Mike Elko and Jimbo Fisher has really shown in the lack of drama surrounding the Texas A&M Aggies so far this offseason.

On the latest episode of Andy Staples On3, Billy Liucci of TexAgs joined the show. He explained to Staples why he believes the difference will lead to success for the Aggies during Elko’s first season with the program.

“Billy, I wanted to talk to you because it feels like it’s been very quiet in College Station,” Staples prefaced. “And I feel like recent off-seasons have been more loud in conversation, so like what is it about Mike Elko’s first offseason that has caused, I don’t know — a lack of drama, versus what we saw under Jimbo Fisher the last few years.”

Evidently, Liucci believes the dearth of storylines surrounding Texas A&M fits Elko’s style, and that’s exactly what Texas A&M needed entering the 2024 campaign.

“It kind of fits with how (Mike Elko) does things,” Liucci started. “It kind of fits, in that he’s very much in control of every aspect of the program, and I mean that in a good way, not a, ‘I’m the only micromanager’ way. It’s just very, very organized, very in control. An entire staff on the same page. And I think when you have that, and and I think a noticeable level of discipline changed. Not just when you watch practices, but in the day to day operation of the program, and I think even within the staff. … I think the players, from them coming in here, just me talking to him and then like you said, the lack of storylines in the offseason, it’s actually a sign of a good thing.

“There’s obviously a long way to go. He’ll be the first one to tell you that, but it’s certainly the sign that things have been so quiet, particularly in the portal. Spring portal came and went. There is a massive culture change, 180 degree difference in day to day expectation. … The only player you lost that was likely to have a chance to play for you this year was Bryce Foster. And I think you know, if Bryce could be in maroon and white, he probably would. I just think he realized that it wasn’t,  I think both sides realized it wasn’t a fit. It’d be best if it was going in a different direction.”

Moreover, Staples compared the end of the Fisher administration to the beginning of Elko’s tenure, and the differences we’re already seeing with Texas A&M.

“It’s interesting to me, because we talked about this. This is what we heard about the tail end of the Jimbo Fisher administration, and I realize everybody comes out of the woodwork when a guy gets fired, and says, ‘Well, this was happening. This was happening.’ But it does seem like some of the issues that were plaguing Texas A&M over the last year or so, were guys could do, kind of what they wanted, and there weren’t a lot of repercussions,” Staples stated. “Like you just mentioned with the employees, they’re being told, ‘Hey, do your job.’ The players are now getting told that too. How does that change things? How different does that make it within the locker room?”

The biggest tell-tale sign that the players are buying in for Liucci is the fact that there was no exodus of talent via the transfer portal after the spring, as the Texas A&M reporter sees the team is on the right track.

“I just think when you see certain guys that stayed on with a new head coach and a new scheme, and they had a real opportunity to just cut and run right when the season ended. They had a real opportunity to cut and run at the end of spring,” Liucci added. “Like guys that are the starting caliber guys, that were coming back. The big names, and believe me there are still some big names, and there’s some NFL bound guys on this team. They were getting offered real money to go play elsewhere, particularly in this very league, and the fact that they didn’t, and then on the second time around, now you’re talking more about the guys that went through spring and realized, ‘Hey, I don’t have a job locked down. I’m not guaranteed to start here. I need to compete,’ and they didn’t leave either.

“That tells me they liked the way they’re being coached. They like where the culture is at, and they believe that they have, you know, a fair shake to play if they do what the coach says, and they like, kind of the feel and vibe of the program, because otherwise you would have seen that exodus that people talk about.”

Perhaps Texas A&M is finally on the road they expected to be on under Jimbo Fisher, it just took Mike Elko driving the bus to get the job done. We’ll see if it works out for them in 2024, as they enter a new era.