- Deion Sanders, Lane Kiffin and Kalen DeBoer were also in the running for the job
- Elko was the Aggies’ defensive coordinator from 2018 to two years ago
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Mike Elko will be hired as the next head football coach at Texas A&M, just weeks after the firing of Jimbo Fisher.
Elko, the Duke head coach, previously served as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator from 2018 until his appointment to the Blue Devils in December 2021.
He emerged earlier this month as an early candidate to replace Fisher in College Station, where he faced competition from the likes of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Mark Stroop. of Kentucky, for the job.
The 46-year-old Elko became the top prospect after a pending deal between Texas A&M and Kentucky for Stoops’ recruitment was nixed, according to CBS Sports.
Elko is a favorite with Aggies fans due to his past ties to the school. He was hired by Texas A&M five years ago, after successful stints at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, as those teams’ defensive coordinator.
Duke head coach Mike Elko has been named the next head football coach at Texas A&M
Former Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher was fired earlier this month after posting a 7-5 record this fall
Under his watch, the Aggies were among the top-ranked defensive teams in all of America.
During his time as defensive coordinator, Texas A&M had a 34-14 record, capped off with an Orange Bowl appearance in 2021 after a 9-1 victory.
In his first season at Duke, Elko led the team to a 9-4 campaign, its best record since 2014.
Elko was the Aggies’ defensive coordinator from 2018 until his appointment at Duke in December ’21
He followed that performance this fall with a 7-5 record despite injury issues at the quarterback position.
Since Elko left Texas A&M almost two years ago, the Aggies have gone 12-12.
Fisher was fired earlier this month after just 10 games into his sixth season. He had a $75 million payout in his contract.
Elko’s first task, if hired, will be to lead Texas A&M back into SEC contention as the league braces for the additions of Texas and Oklahoma in the 2024 season.