Texas A&M ended up in a fine place with Mike Elko as head coach, but the Aggies' hiring process lacked logic

Ultimately, Texas A&M probably ended up in a fine place. 

The Aggies reportedly will hire Duke head coach Mike Elko, with plans to formally announce the move Monday.  Elko is a highly-respected former defensive coordinator. He spent four seasons working for Jimbo Fisher as the Aggies’ DC from 2018-21.

Elko helped recruit Texas A&M’s historic 2021 class before taking over a moribund Duke program that was 1-17 in ACC play the previous two seasons. In two years with the Blue Devils, Elko was 16-9 — including 9-4 in Year 1, which was just the program’s seventh-ever 9-win season in 133 years. He’s reportedly well-liked by the movers and shakers at Texas A&M, and during his four years in College Station he built a strong rapport with the “right people.”

It’s a good, solid hire. Give it a “B” and we’ll evaluate where that grade stands in 2-3 years. But let’s not act like this was simply some normal hiring process. In classic Texas A&M fashion, this whole ordeal was weird, wild, and lacked all logic.

Just 24 hours ago, every reputable college football reporter was linking Kentucky’s Mark Stoops as the likely next head coach at Texas A&M. 

Boosters, fans, and alumni alike revolted immediately.

Mark Stoops!!! We want a Porsche, not a minivan!!! Take it back!!! Make it go away!!!

And just after midnight, the alleged deal was off. 

It was a Sunday Sacking in record time. Vol fans are envious that they had to work so hard to stop Greg Schiano from getting hired back in 2017. It took the Aggies’ faithful — both publicly and privately — a couple of hours. 

But explain to me why Texas A&M fans were so upset about hiring a former respected DC, who is a strong recruiter, has done more with less, and has sent a record number of players (20 in the last five years) from his program to the NFL, when the Aggies ultimately settled on a candidate who checks many of those boxes — only with a shorter shelf-life as a head coach?

This isn’t a criticism of Elko as a candidate. Again, his work at Duke speaks for itself. But’s it hard to distinguish Elko from Stoops. 

Throughout the hiring process, Texas A&M’s boosters were reportedly not in lock-step. They kicked the tires on Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Dabo Swinney, and others, and were politely told no thanks. 

So Ross Bjork & Co., then centered their sights on Stoops. He’s won more at Kentucky than any head coach not named Bear Bryant. He has over a decade of SEC experience, and armed with a real NIL war chest, has the upside to be one of the best recruiters in the country. Unfortunately, just like the guy Texas A&M just fired, there are concerns (and questions) about his team’s offensive acumen. 

Is that worth around $9 million annually? Probably not, but it’s not my money, and the Aggies have boasted from the jump that money was no object in their search.

If Elko was seen as a safer (they know him better than any other candidate) and cheaper option, then why wasn’t he prioritized over Stoops in the first place?

Reportedly, Texas A&M’s board killed the Stoops deal. A day later, they’re rubber-stamping another do-more-with-less, culture guy from a basketball blue-blood. 

Hmm. 

I think they ended up in a fine place. Elko is a good coach, but the plan and process don’t give me a lot of faith that Elko will suddenly be able to fix what ailed the program for decades behind the scenes and turn Texas A&M into a true championship contender.