Elko's hardware quip highlights A&M's hard truth

TAMPA, Fla. — Any comedian knows the best jokes come with a tinge of truth.

That’s why Mike Elko drew raucous laughter at Southeastern Conference Media Days.

Asked how he combats complacency after an 11-victory campaign last season, Elko quipped: “I show them our trophy case, and it’s empty.”

Bada bing.

You laugh to keep from crying.

Some non-amused Aggies will complain that Texas A&M’s own coach provided social media fodder to those dastardly T-sips. But A&M hasn’t added to its championship trophy case since 1998, so why be offended?

Elko, who is becoming perhaps the most anticipated speaker at SEC events, tells the truth. And the truth shall set you free from the chains of mediocrity.

Elko’s point — the point he made at seemingly every SEC Media Days interview — is that good isn’t good enough.

Last season's 11-2 campaign was impressive. But Elko demands more. Much more.

Therefore, any suggestions that A&M has “arrived” are ill-advised.

“You can’t say that we’ve arrived,” Elko said to a scrum of reporters. “We haven’t won anything, so I don’t know what would make us think we’ve arrived.

“We’re building. I think we’re building to become the program we’re capable of being. I think we’re starting to hit the markers on the field that matter.”

Markers like posting 11 wins. Like reaching the College Football Playoff. Like having 10 players selected in the NFL Draft. Like winning in Baton Rouge. Like making a series of clutch plays to win at Notre Dame.

“Now, you’ve got to double down,” Elko said. “You’ve got to do it again, and you’ve got to do it again. I mean, we’re not looking to arrive anywhere.”

Well … the Aggies would love to arrive in Las Vegas next January to play in the national championship game.

Internet detractors might say that’s a pipe dream. Maybe even a crack pipe dream.

But A&M contending for a national title might not be that far-fetched.

“I think we have a talented roster,” Elko said. “That’s a good starting point. I’m excited about our culture. I like the way we’re working. I think we’ll continue to hit marks in the weight room in terms of strength, explosiveness, some of the things that we measure that kind of give us an idea of where we are.

“I think we are a team with the necessary talent to compete.”

Elko has stated he expects an improve quarterback Marcel Reed, who was a Heisman Trophy candidate until a loss to Texas.

Reed is surrounded by combustible big-play threats in receivers Mario Craver, Ashton Bethel-Roman and Isaiah Horton and running back Rueben Owens II.

Callie Garner, TexAgs

Ahead of this third season as Texas A&M’s starting QB, Marcel Reed was the only offensive player to represent the Aggies in Tampa on Wednesday.

Elko also stated the secondary will be the best he’s had in any of his seasons in College Station, including when he was Jimbo Fisher’s defensive coordinator.

He’s addressed needs at linebacker and the defensive front via the transfer portal, where he has an outstanding record of success.

He’s counting on duplicating that past success in the offensive line, too. A&M is replacing four starters who were NFL Draft picks.

Elko added four linemen with SEC starting experience — Tyree Adams and Coen Echols (LSU), Wilkin Formby (Alabama) and Trovon Baugh (South Carolina) to compete with heralded prospects like former five-star recruit Lamont Rogers, Robert Bourdon and Blake Ivy.

“I think the depth is really good and the competition will be really fierce,” Elko said of the O-line. “When you have that, you have a chance to really elevate. We’ve seen that in terms of how those guys are working and competing with each other.”

Sure, there are questions to be answered.

But if the offensive line comes together, if newcomer Anto Saka and/or sophomore Marco Jones can provide a pass rush, if the Aggies can force more turnovers and miss fewer field goals, they might add to their trophy case.

Even Elko acknowledges this.

“We're obviously happy with the things we accomplished, happy with the direction of our program,” he said. “But it's also not lost on us that we haven't won the hardware that we're searching for.

“That gets us into a mindset of growth and getting back to work to go finish this thing a little bit better than we did last year and put ourselves in a better position maybe to compete for some trophies.”

Elko wasn't joking when he said that. And nobody laughed.