Story Poster
Photo by Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Texas A&M Football

Elko closes curtains on 'circus' with major culture shift in Year 1

December 12, 2024
8,920

When they go to the Las Vegas Bowl, the Aggies will be staying at a luxury resort on the Strip.

Had they previously played in Vegas, they should have stayed at Circus Circus.

Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York suggested as much in a postgame press conference following a regular season-closing loss to Texas.

“I always tell people, it used to be a circus around here,” York said. “Now it’s a college football program. It feels like home for a lot of people. We have a really good locker room. Nobody in our locker room, in all of our losses, nobody has been pointing the finger because we understand it’s a cumulative effort with the team. And it takes everyone to win, coaches included, staff included.”

Indirect criticism of a previous coaching regime is rather common. When a coaching change is made, players typically rave about the new offensive scheme or praise a more aggressive defensive system.

But calling the pre-Mike Elko program a circus is alarming, especially when the appraisal comes from York, a high-character team captain.

“I always tell people, it used to be a circus around here. Now it’s a college football program. It feels like home for a lot of people. We have a really good locker room. Nobody in our locker room, in all of our losses, nobody has been pointing the finger, because we understand it’s a cumulative effort with the team. And it takes everyone to win, coaches included, staff included.”
- Texas A&M LB Taurean York

Just as alarming, well before York arrived at A&M, there were plenty of clown-like antics to support York’s comments.

You remember the stories:

Players sneaking out of the team hotel to attend a party at Prairie View A&M. Another player speeding through parking garages. Others vaping while in uniform in the locker room at South Carolina. A guy opting out of a conference game because he was told not to wear sleeves. Opting out of a bowl game and therefore sacrificing 15 extra practices, which many coaches consider more valuable than the game itself.

Perhaps the greatest example of the circus was the spectacular failure of the celebrated 2022 recruiting class.

What was considered the greatest recruiting class in college football history may be the most disappointing.

From that 30-player haul, only four were on all-conference teams this year. Running back Le’Veon Moss and defensive end Shemar Stewart earned All-SEC recognition for A&M. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who transferred to Ole Miss, was also All-SEC. Offensive tackle PJ Williams, who transferred to SMU, was an All-ACC third-team selection.

Almost everyone else had mundane years and mundane careers. Some are already out of football. Some are playing in lesser “group of five” conferences. Some have been failed by injuries. Some by attitude, which have resulted in multiple transfers.

Yet, for so many to fail — or at least fall far short of expectations — would seem a symptom of dysfunction.

Injuries happen. Nobody can be blamed for them.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs
Texas A&M managed eight regular-season wins in 2024 for the first time since 2021.

But did the previous regime fail to properly vet prospects? Were possible character issues ignored? Why did so many fail to develop? Was it a matter of a lax strength and conditioning program? Was it a coaching issue, unable to instruct proper technique? Was there a lack of accountability or expectation?

Probably yes, yes, yes and … well, you get the idea.

Maybe that’s why there is hope for A&M’s football future.

Despite a disappointing finish, Elko’s first team managed more victories (8) than any of the previous two teams, which included players from the 2022 recruiting class.

He did that with just seven active players from the 2022 class, a few other holdovers, a load of transfers and a few freshman contributors from the ’24 class, which was ranked 19th.

For the most part, A&M played hard on the field and had little to no drama off the field.

The Aggies were not a championship team, but at least they weren’t a circus.

Discussion from...

Elko closes curtains on 'circus' with major culture shift in Year 1

6,339 Views | 19 Replies | Last: 13 min ago by SA68AG
MyComputerCareer
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Really? Maybe best to wait until things are actually improved? Here we are again: same blame of previous regime, same Texas 8&4, same November collapse. Rinse and repeat. Life on the hamster wheel of TAMU football.
BESCo91
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think you missed Olin's point. He acknowledged the 8-4 record this season, and certainly didn't endorse 8-4 as some monumental achievement. His point was there is less drama/BS thus far under Elko than there was under Fisher.
4
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
This would be great if we measured success by levels of drama, but since we measure it by wins, I'm going to bet that most people don't give a crap about this particular moral victory.
aggies1999
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I hate these type of retrospective articles. If you knew about it in real-time and didn't report on it, you are part of the problem. You traded short term optics for long term success. Makes you look like state media.
Iraq2xVeteran
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yes, there was much less drama and dysfunction under Mike Elko than there was under Jimbo Fisher. By starting 5-0 in SEC games, we secured just our 4th winning SEC record (6-2 in 2012, 5-3 in 2018, 8-1 in 2020, and 5-3 in 2024) in 13 years in the conference. That includes a 2-2 SEC road record after losing 10 consecutive road games (last 2 in 2021, all 4 in 2022, and all 4 in 2023) under Fisher and interim head coach Elijah Robinson. However, we lost our last 3 SEC games for our worst November collapse since 2016.

November/December SEC records:
2012: 3-0 (1-0 home and 2-0 away)
2013: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2014: 1-2 (0-2 home and 1-0 away)
2015: 1-2 (0-1 home and 1-1 away)
2016: 0-3 (0-2 home and 0-1 away)
2017: 1-2 (0-1 home and 1-1 away)
2018: 2-1 (2-0 home and 0-1 away)
2019: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2020: 4-0 (1-0 home and 3-0 away)
2021: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2022: 1-2 (1-1 home and 0-1 away)
2023: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2024: 0-3 (0-1 home and 0-2 away)

We had a losing SEC record in every November/December, except for 2012, 2018, and 2020. We went winless in November SEC games in 2016 and 2024. From 2013 to 2017, Kevin Sumlin went 4-11 in November SEC games, including a winless 0-3 SEC record in 2016. From 2018 to 2020, Jimbo was 7-3 in November or December SEC games, but from 2021 to 2023, he went 3-5 in November SEC games before he got fired with 2 games remaining. Dating back to a 42-30 road loss at LSU on 11/25/2023 under interim head coach Elijah Robinson, we have lost 4 consecutive November SEC games.
MyComputerCareer
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It's an unnecessary puff piece at the end of another mediocre season and devastating November. The number of good Ags willing to rationalize it away are legion. Until we learn to wear it and use it as fuel to break through we'll be right back here same spot next year. There's no excuse for November 0-3 in conference, sleeping walking through first halves, spotting opponents insurmountable leads. So let's just stop. Wear it.
Bosco
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
MyComputerCareer said:

It's an unnecessary puff piece at the end of another mediocre season and devastating November. The number of good Ags willing to rationalize it away are legion. Until we learn to wear it and use it as fuel to break through we'll be right back here same spot next year. There's no excuse for November 0-3 in conference, sleeping walking through first halves, spotting opponents insurmountable leads. So let's just stop. Wear it.


Agreed. Why even write this?

"Hey at least guys aren't doing stupid things?!???"


S F What. Just win.
Sterling82
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Iraq2xVeteran said:

Yes, there was much less drama and dysfunction under Mike Elko than there was under Jimbo Fisher. By starting 5-0 in SEC games, we secured just our 4th winning SEC record (6-2 in 2012, 5-3 in 2018, 8-1 in 2020, and 5-3 in 2024) in 13 years in the conference. That includes a 2-2 SEC road record after losing 10 consecutive road games (last 2 in 2021, all 4 in 2022, and all 4 in 2023) under Fisher and interim head coach Elijah Robinson. However, we lost our last 3 SEC games for our worst November collapse since 2016.

November/December SEC records:
2012: 3-0 (1-0 home and 2-0 away)
2013: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2014: 1-2 (0-2 home and 1-0 away)
2015: 1-2 (0-1 home and 1-1 away)
2016: 0-3 (0-2 home and 0-1 away)
2017: 1-2 (0-1 home and 1-1 away)
2018: 2-1 (2-0 home and 0-1 away)
2019: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2020: 4-0 (1-0 home and 3-0 away)
2021: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2022: 1-2 (1-1 home and 0-1 away)
2023: 1-2 (1-0 home and 0-2 away)
2024: 0-3 (0-1 home and 0-2 away)

We had a losing SEC record in every November/December, except for 2012, 2018, and 2020. We went winless in November SEC games in 2016 and 2024. From 2013 to 2017, Kevin Sumlin went 4-11 in November SEC games, including a winless 0-3 SEC record in 2016. From 2018 to 2020, Jimbo was 7-3 in November or December SEC games, but from 2021 to 2023, he went 2-5 in November SEC games before he got fired with 2 games remaining. Dating back to a 42-30 loss at LSU on 11/25/2023 under interim head coach Elijah Robinson, we have lost 4 consecutive November SEC games.

Bleak, very bleak.
Ag_EE_88
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Seems like on the field we still have a ways to go in shifting the culture. How many personal foul calls did we get this year that either allowed the other team to sustain a drive or one that killed one of our own drives?
Ag_EE_88
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bosco said:

MyComputerCareer said:

It's an unnecessary puff piece at the end of another mediocre season and devastating November. The number of good Ags willing to rationalize it away are legion. Until we learn to wear it and use it as fuel to break through we'll be right back here same spot next year. There's no excuse for November 0-3 in conference, sleeping walking through first halves, spotting opponents insurmountable leads. So let's just stop. Wear it.


Agreed. Why even write this?

"Hey at least guys aren't doing stupid things?!???"


S F What. Just win.
We had at least 1 player that we let off practically scot free for getting arrested early in the year. That seems stupid to me and that's just what we knew about. If we really wanted to change the culture, we would have kicked him off the team or at least had some sort of discipline instead of letting him start the next game....
Ag_EE_88
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Oh, and let's not forget about all the 'rumors' circulating at the beginning of the year about our star QBs extracurricular activities. I still think the talk of 'culture change' has been way overblown and just more coach speak.
RAB83
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I was feeling a little better about Aggie football after reading Olin's column. Then, I read the comments. Then, I remembered this is the zoo.

I was still in school when Sherrill was hired. I thought it couldn't be worse than Tom Wilson, but Sherrill's first three seasons were 5-6, 5-5-1, and 6-5, not worse, just the exact same. We weren't good enough to be called Texas 8&4. Because we set the new record for a coach's pay with Sherrill we were called Texas A$M.

In Sherrill's fourth year everything changed.

I don't want to wait four years, but I'm not ready to give up after Elko's first year.
Agsrback12
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It ain't gonna be like it used to be
Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We get a new coach and Texags proclaims them as the best thing to ever happen to A&M football… fast forward a few years and they are blaming them for everything imaginable while praising the coach replacing them as the best thing to ever happen to A&M football

Same song and dance …
Bill Superman
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
aggies1999 said:

I hate these type of retrospective articles. If you knew about it in real-time and didn't report on it, you are part of the problem. You traded short term optics for long term success. Makes you look like state media.
This.

There's no way insiders were blind to the disfunction. If they weren't then they're not plugged in, if they were then they are bad reporters who contribute to the poor culture.

We were told Jimbo had also "fixed the culture" that Sumlin had created with the whole "ain't gonna be like it used to" Schlick and supposed "old school" mentality fisher brought. That's what was reported here.

So while it seems Elko is supposedly fixing the culture, the November collapse is reminiscent of the same poorly coached teams of the past backed by the same stories we've been fed before. I'm holding out hope, but we'll have to see some improvement soon.
LitigatorAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I'm so sick of this culture bs. Can we just put a sock in it and win something. I still feel like the program lacks an identity on offense and defense. Aside from going for it on 4th down when not needed, and falling short, what is the take away this season. The schedule next year is brutal and not sure what this team will look like. Rinse and repeat.
4
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bill Superman said:

aggies1999 said:

I hate these type of retrospective articles. If you knew about it in real-time and didn't report on it, you are part of the problem. You traded short term optics for long term success. Makes you look like state media.
This.

There's no way insiders were blind to the disfunction. If they weren't then they're not plugged in, if they were then they are bad reporters who contribute to the poor culture.

We were told Jimbo had also "fixed the culture" that Sumlin had created with the whole "ain't gonna be like it used to" Schlick and supposed "old school" mentality fisher brought. That's what was reported here.

DEAD. ON.

Couldn't have said it better.

You're either paying for information from people who don't have the access they claim to have, or people that have it and lie to you about what's going on.

Or both.
aggies1999
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
After the Texas game, the question was asked, "what was the mindset like on the 4th and short calls" or something like that. The question should have been, "How many failed attempts do you need to attempt down the middle before you try something else"?
One question is open ended and the other is measurable.. One reeks of good ol' boy, I scratch your back you scratch mine and the other is holding someone accountable. That question sums up our media's style.
SA68AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If the current culture is so great and the players are so bought in, why have 19 players and counting entered the portal ?
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.