Elko 'anticipates' Sanford will play on Saturday

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Following four months of worry and speculation, Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko on Monday announced that senior linebacker Daymion Sanford is expected to play on Saturday in the season opener vs. Missouri State.

“(He’s) probably still a little bit of a game time decision,” Elko said at his weekly press conference. “But if you were to ask me right now, yes, I anticipate him being out there.”

Sanford sustained an injury to his left fibula near the end of A&M’s spring football game in April.

There was some question of whether he’d play this season. But he made a steady recovery and was in action during the team’s fall camp workouts.

Sanford is one of five returning starters from last season’s defense, which was ranked 18th in the nation.

He had the fourth-most tackles in 2025. He was also the team’s returning leader in tackles for loss with nine. That included 3.5 sacks, which is the second most among A&M’s returning defenders.

Sanford’s availability obviously brightens A&M’s outlook at linebacker. However, Elko said the Aggies' other linebackers have made significant strides.

“I think they made a really, really big jump,” Elko said. “Some of that was naturally expected.”

Elko praised the impact of Tulsa transfer Ray Coney and the improvement shown by sophomore Noah Mikhail, junior Jordan Lockhart and freshman Tamarion Watkins.

New kids on the blocks

The newly released A&M two-deep depth chart showed how the Aggies aim to rebuild the offensive line.

Center Mark Nabou Jr. is the only returning starter. According to the depth chart, transfers Tyree Adams (LSU) and Wilkin Formby (Alabama) are starting tackles.

The left guard starter is listed as either junior Blake Ivy or sophomore Tyler Thomas. The starter at right guard is either South Carolina transfer Trovon Baugh or LSU transfer Coen Echols.

Elko indicated the long-term starters remain in question.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Mark Nabou Jr. started 12 of Texas A&M’s 13 games last fall.

“I think we’re getting closer to knowing what it’ll (starting line) look like,” he said. “It’s been a very, very competitive battle, which has been really, really good for us. It’s been really good to see some of the young guys really elevate. And then see some of the new guys who have come into the program really being forced to elevate in order to win jobs.”

Elko said there would be rotations at guard and center positions. Backups would also play at the tackle spots.

Performances against Missouri State will be used to help determine the long-term starting lineup.

“I think we’re getting a little bit closer to who it’ll be that starts,” Elko said. “But the reality is we’re still searching to figure out who the best five is and what that will look like.”

On the corner

It may come as a mild surprise that senior Julio Humphrey, a transfer from Georgia last season, was listed as a starter at cornerback.

Returning starter Dezz Ricks is presumed to be the starter at the opposite corner. Rickey Gibson III, a highly-touted transfer from Tennessee, was projected to be the other starter.

But Humphrey has impressed with his work ethic, consistency and improved ball skills.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

A transfer from Georgia, Julio Humphrey saw action in 10 games during his first season with the Aggies.

“I think he’s gotten really confident playing the ball,” Elko said. “One of the things he struggled with last year was that final decision on the ball. He got a little bit antsy. He’d get antsy, and then that gets grabby. You start grabbing receivers and doing things you don’t need to do to be effective.

“I think he’s just gotten a lot more comfortable and confident with what we’re asking from him. I think that’s shown through.”

Notes
• Elko opened his press conference expressing his excitement for the unveiling of a statue of former A&M coach R.C. Slocum on Friday.

Slocum, the winningest coach in A&M history, coached the Aggies to six Southwest Conference championships, a Big 12 championship and two first-place finishes in the Big 12 South division.

The unveiling of the statue will be at 2 p.m. on Friday.

• Also, Elko congratulated 32 Aggies who made NFL rosters, which was announced on Sunday. That included some on the Injured Reserve or Physically Unable to Perform lists.