It has been reported that after Sunday’s departure of Texas A&M defensive line coach Elijah Robinson, new head coach Mike Elko had a contingency plan. ESPN’s Pete Thamel has announced that Elko has hired former Florida defensive line coach Sean Spencer for the same position.
For Spencer, this may look like a lateral move on paper. Still, after two seasons with the Gators, Spencer will make the jump to College Station to begin what is hopefully a highly successful tenure on Elko’s guidance.
Throughout his successful coaching career that goes back nearly three decades, Spencer’s memorable run at Penn State (2014-2019) as the program defensive line coach led a defense that led the country in sacks per game (3.54), was sixth in tackles for loss (8.2), and 14th in total defense (324.5) during the 2015 season.
Spencer has been at Florida, Penn State and the New York Giants in recent years. He worked on the same staff as Mike Elko at Hofstra at 2006. He was hired by Elko briefly at Duke before leaving for Florida. https://t.co/VWXdmHq8Nz
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 4, 2023
From 2014 to 2018, the Nittany Lions recorded over 40 sacks per season, leading to Spencer’s brief move to the New York Giants (2020-2021), making way for his last stop with Florida. Sean Spencer’s time with the Gators may have been short-lived. Still, the veteran assistant helped mentor several Florida defensive linemen who have made it to the NFL, including 2023 second-round pick Gervin Dexter Jr.
As Thamel noted, Mike Elko and Sean Spencer go back to coaching at Hofstra (FCS) in 2006, making this a no-brainer from a relationship standpoint. Not only will Spencer serve as the Aggies’ new D-line coach, but his recruiting prowess from his time at Penn State and Florida will put a bandage on what has been lost in Elijah Robinson’s departure.
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