Tag: Mike Elko

Has Texas A&M HC Mike Elko reached out to former Texas WR Johntay Cook?

If Texas A&M is considered a “big school,” then the Aggies have reached out to former Texas WR Johntay Cook

After the news dropped late last week that former Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook II had departed the program for unspecified reasons, the former Top-40 ranked prospect has garnered substantial attention throughout the college football landscape.

While it’s no surprise that fellow SEC programs were the first to reach out amid Cook’s announcement, any indication that Texas A&M was one of the schools has not been confirmed, though Rivals recruiting insider Adam Gorney stated on Saturday that every “big school” outside of Ohio State and Alabama had contacted Cook so far.

Does this mean Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has joined the list? It seems that way, and it wouldn’t be a surprise with the lack of production we’ve seen this season from the Aggie receiving corps outside of senior Jabre Barber.

Cook’s skillset is undeniable, possessing the downfield speed to beat man-to-man, while twitchy athleticism would be an immediate upgrade for A&M’s offense next season.

After missing out on several 2025 receiver prospects, including 4-star CJ Wiley, Elko and his staff will need to attack the portal immediately after the season for veteran wide receivers, which could include Cooks.

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Predicting Texas A&M’s 3 remaining football games ahead of Week 11 per ESPN FPI

Here are the latest ESPN FPI predictions for Texas A&M’s three remaining regular season games

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1) came in at No. 14 and the second team out in the first College Football Playoff projections, ahead of No. 15 LSU and right below No. 12 SMU, as the Aggies are in a great position to finish out the year strong and earn one of the final playoff spots.

After losing to South Carolina in Week 10, most in the national media jumped off the Aggie bandwagon, which began with A&M’s 38-23 win over LSU in one of the more memorable comebacks in program history, vaulting the Aggies to No. 10 in the AP Poll before dropping to No. 15 after falling to the Gamecocks.

Amid the second bye week of the season, head coach Mike Elko is now dealing with the season-ending injury to star running back Le’Veon Moss, meaning junior back Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith will now become the primary running backs for the final three games.

According to ESPN FPI, here are the latest predictions for New Mexico State, Auburn (on the road), and the season finale vs. Texas.

Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State

Date: Nov. 16

Location: College Station, Kyle Field

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 99.0% chance Texas A&M wins

Nothing has changed here. However, how Elko uses the new and very thin running back rotation will be interesting, as the hope is that the passing game can produce some early scores to keep Amari Daniels and EJ Smith from having to endure unnecessary snaps.

Texas A&M at Auburn

Date: Nov. 23

Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 61.8% chance Texas A&M wins

Texas A&M’s chances to defeat Auburn on the road in Week 14 slightly decreased after the news that RB Le’Veon Moss will miss the rest of the season, but Auburn isn’t South Carolina, so I’ll still give the Aggies the nod.

For more Auburn news and analysis, visit Auburn Wire.

Texas A&M vs. Texas

Date: Nov. 30

Location: College Station, Kyle Field

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 24.7% chance to win

Texas A&M’s chance to defend its home turf and defeat rival Texas dropped nearly six points after losing to South Carolina and Moss’s injury, which isn’t surprising. How the Aggies perform in the next two games will likely determine this matchup.

For more Texas news and analysis, visit Longhorns Wire.

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Can Texas A&M overcome RB Le’Veon Moss’s season ending injury?

Amari Daniels and EJ Smith will need to step up over the next three games

Texas A&M’s perfect record in the SEC standings evaporated in the second half of Saturday’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina, as the Aggies were outscored and outplayed on the road in the most lopsided SEC matchup under first-year head coach Mike Elko.

Things got worse two days after the loss, as it was revealed that star running back Le’Veon Moss would miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury in the first half of Saturday’s game. On Monday, Elko spoke to the media, revealing Moss’s diagnosis while noting just how well the junior had performed before the news:

“Same thing happened with Tyreek (Chappell). When you see young people turn a corner… You hate for anyone to see adversity, but you hate to see it for those kids. You would like to reward them with a clean path.”

“It’s extremely unfortunate for him. He was having a great year.”

The Aggies still have everything in front of them, tied for first place in the SEC standings at 5-1 entering the bye week, knowing that wins against New Mexico State and Auburn (on the road) will set up a likely play-in scenario vs. Texas for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Texas A&M’s RB room suffered a significant blow due to its paper-thin depth. Junior Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith are the only scholarship backs on the roster, with Moss now shelved.

“I think we will try to look at everything on the table. We are confident in Amari (Daniels). EJ (Smith) will be the primary backup. At this point, everything is on the table.”

While Daniels, who has already run for 466 yards and six touchdowns, is more than skilled enough to take over, saving his touches is key down the stretch, meaning freshman athlete Terry Bussey could see snaps at running back, as Elko alluded to during the Monday presser:

“Terry (Bussey) is talented… Understanding he is still a freshman, that is maybe lost a little bit.”

“He is effective in the role he’s in, and we are trying to expand that role.”

Realistically, after the bye week, Daniels and Smith will take most of the running back snaps vs. New Mexico State in what is hopefully a short day for both players. At the same time, walk-on RB Anthony DiNota should also see time against the Aggies before Daniels and Smith play nearly every running back snap vs. Auburn and Texas.

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2026 4-star TE out of Fairburn (GA) commits to Texas A&M

One of the top tight end prospects in the 2026 class is headed to Aggieland

Boom! Texas A&M has landed its fourth commitment in the 2026 class in the last week, as 4-star tight end Xavier Tiller announced his intentions on Monday afternoon after his recent visit during the Aggies 38-23 home win over LSU.

So far this season, first-year head coach Mike Elko has already cemented his standing as one of the best coaching hires for the Maroon & White, bringing in a blue-collar work ethic that has made its way to the recruiting trail as Elko and his staff have successfully recruited both Georgia and California in the 2025 and 2026 cycle.

Tiller, out of Fairburn, Georgia, is just the latest commit from the Peach State, bringing an elite skillset to a future Aggie offense littered with blue-chip prospects, including 2026 4-star wide receiver Aaron Gregory.

With size, speed, and a large catch radius, Tiller looks like a perfect fit in OC Collin Klein’s tight end-centric offense.

According to 247Sports, Tiller is currently the 47th-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, the third-ranked tight end, and the fifth-ranked prospect in Georgia.

https://x.com/hayesfawcett3/status/1853556750563102885?s=61

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Texas A&M HC Mike Elko gives injury update on running back Le’Veon Moss

Texas A&M junior running back Le’Veon Moss will miss the remainder of the season

Texas A&M football coach Mike Elko opened his weekly press conference by taking responsibility for the loss and breaking the news that junior running back Le’Veon Moss will be out for the rest of the season.

“… so you guys are aware Le’Veon will be out for the year. That will be something we deal with”

This is devastating for Moss, who was on pace to make an All-SEC team. He is the engine that makes the running game so dynamic. He earned the starting spot when Rueben Owens was lost for the year before the season began, and he has been the workhorse for 10 weeks.

Amari Daniels will carry the load with EJ Smith, but the Aggies will have to rethink their play calling now that they are missing their offensive MVP.

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2026 5-star IOL places Texas A&M in his Top 6 program list

One of the top 2026 IOL prospects have placed the Aggies in his Top 6 list

Texas A&M’s (7-2, 5-1 SEC) 44-20 loss to South Carolina in Week 10 was embarrassing, to say the least. The offense failed to find its footing in the second half, and the defense missed 25 tackles in one of the unit’s worst performances on the year.

However, this was Texas A&M’s first SEC loss. The Aggies are still tied for first atop the conference standings and can still reach the College Football Playoffs with games against New Mexico State, Auburn, and Texas still ahead in the regular season.

After the loss, some fans questioned if recruiting would be affected, but remember that it’s about the season for most recruits, not just one game. Losses happen, but under head coach Mike Elko, the program is in good hands amid his first season.

After landing three 2026 commitments just a day after the Aggies’ 38-23 win, one of the game’s visitors, 2026 5-star IOL Lamar Brown, stated to Rivals recruiting insider Sam Spiegelman that Texas A&M is high on his list from now on:

“They’re No. 1 and leading by a good bit,”

On Sunday morning, Brown released his Top 6 program list, which includes Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee, UCF, Alabama, and Miami as the final schools Brown will consider.

Brown is by far the most athletic and physical offensive line prospect in the 2026 cycle, possessing versatility as a defensive lineman similar to 2025 4-star and Texas A&M commit Kiotti Armstrong, who also thrives as a defensive end.

According to 247Sports Composite, Brown is currently positioned as the 6th-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 1-ranked IOL, and the No. 1-ranked prospect in Louisiana.

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Best Photos from Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

View some of the best photos from the Texas A&M to South Carolina on the road

On Saturday night, No. 10 Texas A&M put their winning streak on the line when they went on the road to take on South Carolina. Unfortunately, for the Maroon & White, homecoming was a party for the fans at Williams-Brice Stadium as they cheered to the Gamecocks 44-20 upset win.

It’s hard to go undefeated in SEC play, and you can throw the records out during conference play. South Carolina secured their statement win of the season and bullied A&M on both sides of the ball. There are excuses and ways for fans to cope on social media, but head coach Mike Elko has another cliff to climb on the way to the mountaintop.

This bye week and how they perform against New Mexico State will set the tone for their remaining two SEC games leading into the postseason. Saturday did not turn out how they wanted it, and now the race to the college football playoffs starts.

Despite the loss, here are the best photos from Saturday night’s game.

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Texas A&M HC Mike Elko provides update on RB Le’Veon Moss’s injury status

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko provided a breif update on RB Le’Veon Moss’s health status

Texas A&M’s seven-game winning streak ended at the hands of South Carolina on Saturday night. The Gamecocks destroyed the Aggies, 44-20, in one of the more lopsided losses for the Aggies in several seasons.

Knowing just how physical South Carolina has been all season, Texas A&M’s defense needed to match that physicality but failed to do so while missing 25 tackles, the most in more than eight seasons.

Offensively, quarterback Marcel Reed earned his fourth start of the year but looked average in the second half. The injury to starting running back Le’Veon Moss certainly hindered the Aggies’ offensive rhythm.

Moss exited the game early in the first half after sustaining what looked like a brutal knee injury on the sideline. Trainers requested a cart to take Moss off the field, which is usually a very bad sign.

After the game, coach Mike Elko provided a brief but positive update on Moss’s injury, stating,

“It doesn’t look as bad as it did on the field.”

While this single sentence is not equal to a final medical diagnosis, Moss may have avoided the worst outcome. However, we will hear more going into the week.

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Instant reactions to No. 10 Texas A&M’s blowout 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M falls 44-20 on the road to South Carolina, dropping its first SEC game of the season.

No. 10 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) was handled by South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 SEC) 44-20 on the road, the Aggies’ first SEC loss of the season.

The SEC is an extremely competitive week-to-week league. There are no trap games in this league. You line up, and the better team each week wins. On Saturday, the Gamecocks punched A&M in the mouth and ran away from the Aggies in a statement win.

Coach Mike Elko’s style of defense was absent. The Aggies were plagued by untimely penalties and a lack of toughness. However, the most unforgivable thing had to be the poor tackling. The defense was called perfectly several times, but the defender missed the sack or there was a defensive penalty.

Offensively, they looked like the team that stepped onto the field against Notre Dame to start the season. Redshirt quarterback Marcel Reed started; however, the spark from his three-touchdown comeback win over LSU was missing. They couldn’t push the ball downfield, the running game stagnated with the loss of running back Le’Veon Moss in the first half and Reed had two costly turnovers.

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

It was not a good night in the office for the coaching staff or the players, who dropped a tough game before the second bye week of the season. This loss is not season-ending, but the Aggies will need to win out to have a chance at the SEC title game and a college football playoff spot.

Going into their second bye week, the Aggies’ next game is at home against New Mexico State on Nov. 16 at Kyle Field in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

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Texas A&M is still in the running 2025 5-star OT and Oklahoma commit

Texas A&M’s coaching staff is attempting to flip 2025 5-star OT Michael Fasusi from Oklahoma

Texas A&M’s recruiting momentum under first-year head coach Mike Elko has continued this deep into the regular season, as the Aggies’ recent win over LSU in front of nearly 50 recruits led to three consecutive commitments in the 2026 cycle.

In the 2025 cycle, Elko and O-line coach Adam Cushing have landed six offensive line commitments, with the latest being 4-star guard Nelson McGuire, one of the more underated propsects in the trenches. However, the program failed to reel in the big fish that is 5-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi, who committed to Oklahoma in late August.

While the Sooners had been the favorite for quite some time, the program’s future under head coach Brent Venables is in shaky territory, currently sitting at 5-4 and 1-4 in SEC play while consistently looking like one of the worst teams in the conference on a weekly basis.

According to Rivals recruiting insider Sam Spiegelman, both Texas A&M and the Texas Longhorns coaching staffs are working to flip Fasusi’s commitment, as Elko and Cushing are attempting get the talented tackle back to College Station, most likely for the blockbust regular season finale vs. Texas on Saturday, Nov. 30.

Currently sitting atop the SEC standings with a 5-0 conference record, the Aggies are looking like the team to beat on the recruiting trail, especially the 2024 team continues to rack up wins.

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