Click HERE to view Mike Elko’s Wednesday media availability.
A year ago, Texas A&M football coach Mike Elko said he wanted to establish a championship culture.
One hundred days before his second season at A&M kicks off on Aug. 30 against Texas-San Antonio, Elko sees indications that culture is growing.
Elko said as much to a gaggle of reporters prior to speaking at the Brazos County A&M Club’s Coach’s Night on Wednesday at the Legends Event Center in Bryan.
“I think, off the field, we’re continuing to improve and do the things you want to do,” Elko said. “We just got spring grades in. We got a 3.0 GPA for the year, which is the first time we’ve done that since they’ve been recording GPAs.
“I still think accountability and discipline is moving in the right direction. I think we’re continuing to develop in the weight room and getting bigger, faster, stronger.
“I think those things are all trending in the right direction. And just kind of continuing to develop a championship mindset. That’s what we have to do in our program to ultimately get it where we want it to go.”
Of course, they ultimately want to go to the College Football Playoff and onto the national championship.
At least the fan base wants to see the Aggies go further than they did last year when A&M slumped to an 8-5 finish.
Elko mentioned several reasons that could happen in 2025. According to Elko, 10-12 players on the roster could be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Also, he said All-SEC running back Le’Veon Moss, who missed virtually all of the final five games last season because of a knee injury, is expected back at full health.
“He’ll be 100 percent for sure for fall camp,” Elko said. “When you go out there and watch him run, he looks really good right now. We’re excited with how that rehab process has gone.”
Moss is among 16 returning starters who could have left either to the draft or via the transfer portal, but all stayed dedicated to A&M.
That, Elko said, is another indication of progress to the culture he’s trying to build.
Indeed, only two players left in the spring portal and neither figured strongly in A&M’s plans for next season.
“If you look at what’s happening in our building and you're looking at the amount of kids that made the decision to come back that could have gone into the NFL Draft and been drafted,” Elko said. “(Look at) the lack of projected starters, who transferred either in the winter or the spring. The lack of coach departures.
“I think what you see is a lot of people believing in where this program is headed. I think when you look at all those indicators, a lot of them point to the arrow up for where Texas A&M football is going.”
