LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline this week when LSU squares off with Texas A&M.
Aggies head coach Mike Elko worked under Kelly as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2017. After a one-year stint, he left South Bend to take the same position at Texas A&M.
That led to Elko being offered a head coaching opportunity at Duke. Success at Duke brought him back to College Station — this time as head coach.
In 2016, Notre Dame ranked 61st in scoring defense. After the hire of Elko, the Fighting Irish rose to 31st in 2017. Elko’s unit ranked top 25 in yards per play allowed as Notre Dame put together a 10-win season that was capped with a win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl.
At SEC media days in July, Kelly said Elko is a smart football coach who will play to A&M’s strengths in every phase of the game.
“I think that’s why Mike’s going to do very, very well at A&M,” Kelly said.
Elko won’t be the last former assistant Kelly sees this year. Vanderbilt’s head coach Clark Lea served under Kelly for a number of years at Notre Dame. The Tigers and Commodores are slated to square off in late November.
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