A&M's poor start to the season is validating the initial hesitations I had with all the hype over hiring Mike Elko.
Yes, he's a no nonsense Xs & Os guy, which is the change of coaching personality due after Jimbimbo, but other than upsetting Clemson in a high profile Labor Day opener in 2023, what else did Elko do on the field that warranted lofting him into a higher stakes gig? That Duke team finished the season 7-5 and A&M promptly hired him.
My biggest question with Elko was: What was/is the long term plan on offense? Marcel Reed is playing increasingly worse, posting a 31 QBR Vs LSU, as he lead an offense that managed less than 200 total yards in Baton Rouge. All of which is an ugly sign.
At this point Mike Elko is the SEC's version of Georgia Tech's Brent Key. A similar Xs & Os former lineman who at first got the Yellow Jackets on the right track, before a number of cracks appeared this season.
Good news for A&M is that I don't think their remaining schedule is as bad as it looks. The next three games are winnable (Arkansas, @Missouri, Citadel). And even as the mid-season schedule toughens w/ @Alabama & @South Carolina, one of those two are winnable. Of the last three opponents, @Oklahoma is winnable and the two harder of the last three (Tennessee & Texas) are played in College Station. However, validating my optimism will demand a noticeably improved offense.
