Press Conference: Elko sets the stage for No. 9 A&M's matchup with Auburn

The following are live, paraphrased notes from the Monday afternoon media availability:

Mike Elko

• Enjoyed the bye week. It’s good to be back in SEC play. Productive bye week. We focused on ourselves. Transitioned into Auburn stuff today. Excited for SEC opponent No. 1. Excited for the week.
   
• It's a hard thing to feel. You want to feel a strong work ethic and a continuous growth mindset. You want to see the kids are hungry for success. I think we have felt that.
   
• Bryce Anderson will be out this week. He is still recovering. Scooby Williams is day-to-day and getting better every day.
   
• Terry Bussey continues to get better every day. We talked a lot about being a talented athlete at a small school to being a fundamentally sound wide receiver in the SEC. It's been hampered at times by injury. He’s been healthy for quite a few weeks.
   
• You are always looking for alignment and for leadership to know what football means at this university. I have a lot of confidence that people here will find that in our new president.
   
• Auburn is extremely talented up front. Giving up 10 sacks to OU was a little bit of an anomaly. I told the guys today that, with human psychology, the Auburn offensive line will be the best unit on the field on Saturday.
   
• I don’t really have a reaction to Texas, LSU and Missouri as our three permanent opponents. Good, we are playing the in-state rivalry. Always good to play LSU. I am not sure how Mizzou fits in.
   
• Jackson Arnold has good arm talent and can beat you with his legs. I bet that was a challenging environment going back to OU. I'm sure he will put his best foot out there.
   
• Reuben Fatheree II is getting really close. Hopefully, we will have him in some capacity.
   
• Dezz Ricks has taken positive steps. Will Lee III has been consistent. This is a talented wide receiver corps that Auburn has.
   
• It's good they have gone and made the play they did. We had high expectations for those guys in Mario Craver and KC Concepcion. It still has to play out.
   
• I think our defense is still working through it. We didn’t have the level of success against Notre Dame.