Is Texas A&M about to have another rough year? That question has been floating around for the past few months while Mike Elko tries to find some answers. With a 75-year title drought and struggles to make the most of their roster budget, the program is definitely on edge. Elko kicked off his debut season strong, going 5-0 against SEC rivals after an opening-day loss to the Fighting Irish. Fans and veterans alike were excited, hoping to start fresh and leave behind the Jimbo Fisher era. But then reality hit hard. They ended the season with a tough loss in the Las Vegas Bowl, wrapping things up with a pretty mediocre 8-5 record. So, is there something deeper going on that’s causing all this?

The Aggies are coming fresh off a calm and poised offseason. With the return of 16 starters, things seem really lustrous in Mike Elko’s second year. “I think we’re just a year further ahead from where we were last year,” Elko said. “And obviously for me, there’s a lot more familiarity with our roster, right?” That’s right. He revamped the roster with significant portal scouts and reshaped the program with some strong spring activities throughout. But Aggies are still fighting with a demonic trend in their athletic director spot.

“Is Texas A&M athletics cursed? Are they cursed?” Analyst Jake Crain put it up as straight as he could! “Well, until they get some stability at the athletic director’s position, they may be. I mean, you know, you’ve got guys in and out of there that are utilizing. If the athletic director is using the school as a stepping stone, more than likely coaches, whether they like it or not, are going to be forced into it,” Tim Brando didn’t sugarcoat his words while shedding light on a persistent issue that the Aggies need to get a quick fix for.

Well, we all know who he is pointing fingers at. Ross Bjork, the former AD, had played a pivotal role in swooping guys for the Aggies across his four-year tenure with them. Bjork has been instrumental in helping A&M athletics bring in new coaches. The list includes Mike Elko, Jim Schlossnagle, Joni Taylor, Trisha Ford, and Gerrod Chadwell. He also helped push Brian Kortan up from interim status.

But finally, he gave in to the money the Buckeyes had offered him back in 2o24. It certainly had a long-lasting impact on the coaches, leaving them with a similar mindset. “That’s what’s happened in the last few years at Texas A&M. They get Ole Miss’s guy. Then the Ole Miss guy goes to A&M,” Brando kept throwing shade, “Then he says, ‘Oh, wait a minute! Those oil bearings don’t have nearly as much money as they have in Columbus, Ohio. I think I’ll go there’.”

However, Brando does agree that Bjork has been one of the needle movers in the collegiate leaders and business boosters who invested millions in the athletic fund. He believes that the fate of Jimbo Fisher had also been linked to the volatility of the AD position. The money Texas has spent on firing coaches is absurd. Fisher’s $77.5 million buyout, far and away the largest in college football history, however, proved to be a waste. They still didn’t get what they wanted, and it’s not surprising for a passionate fanbase to get tired of the rhetoric and the investors to push back.

However, despite all these expenditure vs. output red flags, Greg McElroy is brewing some fresh hope.

Greg McElroy sees some hidden potential in the Aggies to turn heads 

On the May 19th episode of ESPN’s College Football podcast, analyst Greg McElroy balanced out the critics’ narratives with some much-needed bullish juice. “Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko, their over-under win total is at 8 ½. They had eight wins last year, and if you look at their schedule… there are four games you would think are winnable immediately.”

The offensive line is the return of five starters, giving a confidence boost to the unit. The running back room also looks stacked with Le’Veon Moss’ much-anticipated injury return. Quarterback Marcel Reed has made significant strides in his young CFB career. For the defense, they are a seasoned beast with an elite ranking in the key defensive metrics.

As far as McElroy can see, “[TexasA&M] should be sitting pretty this year. And if they could continue to be as good on defense as I anticipate them being and make some progress offensively while staying healthy, I think A&M’s one of those teams that not enough people are talking about going into this upcoming season. I think A&M Aggies have a chance to really threaten.

It will be interesting to see if the hopes surpass the risks or if it turns out to be the exact opposite, to more woes of Mike Elko in his crucial second year.