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'Absolutely we're a better team' Texas A&M HC Mike Elko speaks during SEC Spring Meetings

'Absolutely we're a better team' Texas A&M HC Mike Elko speaks during SEC Spring Meetings

USA Today27-05-2025

'Absolutely we're a better team' Texas A&M HC Mike Elko speaks during SEC Spring Meetings
On Tuesday, the 2025 SEC Spring Meetings took place in Destin, Florida, where every conference head coach took questions from the media while previewing their rosters ahead of the 2025 season, which is less than 100 days away. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, who enters his second season at the helm, entered the offseason with plenty of questions after the Aggies' 1-4 finish in Year 1.
This offseason, Elko immediately utilized the transfer portal, adding 14 players, including NC State wide receiver KC Concepcion, while adding five veterans to the defensive line. Last season's late struggles stemmed from starting quarterback Marcel Reed's struggles in the pocket, while the secondary allowed too many explosive plays down the stretch.
Elko and his staff, which now includes former James Madison defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill, are confident in the 2025 roster, despite a challenging schedule that includes an early road trip and a rematch against Notre Dame in Week 3. Elko had plenty to say regarding several topics on Tuesday afternoon. Here's what he had to say.
Mike Elko on senior running back Le'Veon Moss's health in 2025
"He'll be 100 percent for sure for fall camp. When you go out there and watch him run he looks really good right now."
Mike Elko on starting QB Marcel Reed's progress this offseason
"I'm happy with strides he made in the throw game in the spring and I think that will continue in the summer."
Mike Elko's outlook for 2025 should excite Aggie fans
Are we better? Absolutely we're a better team."
Mike Elko on the challenges of waiting on the House Settlement regarding future NIL rules
"I couldn't imagine a professional sports league going midway through their offseason and changing the salary cap rules. It appears that's what we're going to try to do."
Mike Elko on mishandling Texas A&M's late-season struggles
"It was a lot of things. One, we were in a situation we haven't been in before. We played back-to-back night games on the road in the SEC as the team that was being hunted. I don't know that we handled that well."
Mike Elko on where Texas A&M is headed despite the negativity surrounding last season's poor finish
"When trying to build a program from where we were to where we want to be, you want it to go smooth, you want it to go easy. It doesn't always work like that. It doesn't mean things aren't going in the right direction. It just means you have to make adjustments."
Mike Elko on managing his 105-player roster this season
Mike Elko on the SEC push for automatic bids in the College Football Playoff
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

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