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Photo by Rey Romo, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Mike Elko expected to be Duke's head coach after four years as A&M's DC
Mike Elko, who transformed a mediocre Texas A&M defense into one of the best in the nation, is expected to accept the head coach position at Duke University, first reported by Pete Thamel.
He’ll replace David Cutcliffe, who stepped down on Nov. 28 following the Blue Devils’ 3-9 finish.
Elko, 44, came to Texas A&M in 2018 after spending three seasons as defensive coordinator at Wake Forest and the 2017 campaign at Notre Dame.
In one year in South Bend, Elko's defense allowed an average of 21.5 points to rank 31st in the nation, a significant improvement for a unit that allowed 27.8 points to rank 61st in 2016.
Mike Elko, who transformed a mediocre Texas A&M defense into one of the best in the nation, is expected to accept the head coach position at Duke University, first reported by Pete Thamel.
The Fighting Irish also reduced their yardage allowed to 369.2 from 378.8.
He inherited a defensive unit that allowed an average of 408.5 yards to rank 78th in the nation in total defense. The 2017 Aggies also allowed an average of 30.7 points to rank 87th in scoring defense.
The Aggies defense made immediate and dramatic improvement under Elko.
In Elko’s first season in College Station, Texas A&M averaged 25.3 points allowed to rank 47th in scoring defense and 348.4 yards to rank 32nd in total defense.
There was a steady trend of improvement in his three following seasons.
In 2019, the Aggies allowed an average of 22.5 points and 340.2 yards.
The Aggies reduced those numbers in their 9-1 campaign in 2020. They allowed 21.7 points and 317.3 yards, which ranked ninth in the country.
So far this season, the Aggies have an average of 15.9 points to rank third in the country and 327.5 yards to rank 20th.
The loss of Elko raises more questions than who will be his replacement.
The larger short-term concern is how his departure will affect the A&M recruiting class, which could be the best in the nation.
Thus far, ten of their commitments are defensive players, including five-star prospects Walter Nolen and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, as well as four-stars Bryce Anderson, Deyon Bouie, Malick Sylla, Bobby Taylor, Martrell Harris, Ish Harris and Jarred Kerr.
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