On the final day of SEC Media Days, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, who was hired just over seven months ago, took the podium for his first appearance in front of the national media to preview the 2024 season. The Aggies are loaded with talent and experience from top to bottom.
However, Texas A&M fans and most sports media remember the rumors that flooded social media back in late November before Elko was officially offered the gig as longtime Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, apparently the leading candidate for the position before donors and A&M board members forced former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork to pull the deal.
On Thursday, during Mark Stoop’s question and answer portion, KBTX Sports A&M writer Travis Brown finally asked the question regarding the legitimacy of his connection to Texas A&M, as Stoops, who is entering his 12th season with the Wildcats, confirmed that he was indeed a serious candidate:
“I was pursued pretty aggressively by them, and we’ll leave it at that out of respect for everybody involved.”
“It was very brief. I was pursued. … I’ve been grinding at Kentucky for a long time, and I’m very proud of that and want to continue to do that.”
Even though every detail of the relationship won’t be revealed, the fact that online outrage could have played a significant part in Bjork’s change of heart is still fascinating. Ultimately, hiring Mike Elko has already worked in the program’s favor.
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