Mike Elko pushed Texas A&M, giving them an 11-win season since 2012 and their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. On paper, that’s a win, but behind the scenes, serious allegations from a former player have put Elko’s program under the microscope. Now, the head coach isn’t just building a better team, but he’s also trying to change how people see it.

“We’re starting to move the needle,” Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said to On3. “In the past, if you read anything about us, it felt very negative at times and probably rightfully so. Nobody around here wants to hear that.”

Last year, during their game against Miami, Mike Elko made a decision that made fans furious. In the second quarter, the team had a chance to take a lead, but instead of going for it, Elko chose to attempt a 22-yard field goal. Jared Zirkel’s 22-yard field goal attempt was blocked, and he failed to execute properly. This missed opportunity frustrated fans and raised a lot of questions about Elko’s decision.

Texas A&M faced several difficulties in the game, even though they won 42–24. The biggest issue was their run defense. They allowed UTSA’s running back to gain 172 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 10.2 yards per carry, including a 75-yard touchdown run. This shows they struggled badly to stop big plays.

On offense, the passing game was strong. Marcel Reed completed 22 of 35 passes for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns with no turnovers, and his receivers combined for 11 catches and 194 yards with 2 touchdowns each. No running back had more than 5 carries or 40 yards, and the quarterback ended up being the leading rusher.

Even against Texas, the Aggies couldn’t score more than 7 points in the second half, whereas they were at 24 points. So, even with all the momentum, they flinched in playoff games just when they needed it the most. That’s exactly what Mike Elko is trying to avoid.

Elko added 27 new players to the team to make it stronger. Instead of looking for quick solutions, he wants to build the team slowly and properly for the future. He uses both transfer players and young recruits and makes everyone compete for their place.

“We have a lot of kids who have transferred in here with starting experience at other programs,” Elko said. “And a lot of young, talented players in our program who want to start, and that has to be fair and open competition.”

With new faces and high school recruits, Mike Elko is taking slow steps and making sure everyone is at the same pace. He is also very excited about the way players are putting in all their efforts in the spring, and he also talked about their progress.

“I’m happy with where we are as a group and the progress that we’ve made. I don’t want it to come out like I’m not, but when you’re comparing it to wanting to be a playoff team and where you know this thing needs to go to be successful, three practices in the spring it’s not there yet.”

But just when Mike Elko thought the bad was over, another pressure came right onto his shoulders.

Mike Elko’s team faces massive criticism from a former player