After a 16-9 coaching stint at Duke and years of coordinating experience at Notre Dame and the Aggies, Mike Elko perfectly showed why he became a no-brainer choice to replace Jimbo Fisher. Now, that level of success also draws connections to high-profile jobs like Penn State, making it his dream destination. But just when everyone thought Elko was looking for a better place, the Aggies put those rumors to bed.

Born in New Jersey, Elko played at Penn from 1995 to 1998, making him a viable option. Yes, just playing at Penn won’t land him the job. For that, his record answers your questions. But Elko is not looking for a change. Aggies alum Leon O’Neal Jr. is pointing straight at it, saying, X: “Y’all gotta stop all the negative press. ELKO LOVE A&M, and he also loves the resources here. He just doesn’t want to have conversations about stupidity.” 

And he didn’t stop there; stressing Elko’s commitment further, he said, “Man we 7-0 and haters want a story… straight rat poison. Only Focus is LSU in that locker room.” So, it’s pretty clear that Elko wants to win against LSU rather than move to Penn State. Regarding resources, Elko earns a fine amount with the Aggies, as he signed a six-year deal for $42 million with them until 2030. Financially, everything’s sorted.

His buyout is set at $5.5 million if he leaves for another job, though it drops to $4 million in January 2026. Best part? He might even get a one-year contract extension if A&M makes the playoffs this season. He also receives incentives if he makes the various stages of the college football playoffs. It ranges from $1 million to $3.5 million worth of bonuses.

Let’s not forget Mike Elko clarified Texas A&M is the only place he wants to be. “I don’t discuss it with my players,” Elko said. “I think it’s absolutely hilarious how you guys cover coaches. I think three weeks ago, I was getting fired. Now, I’m getting hired. Now, you don’t want me to stay, but I’m leaving. It’s absolutely hilarious. It is a waste of brain space to spend any time talking or thinking about any of that stupidity.” 

Even if Penn State wants him, it won’t be straightforward. Hiring him would be a significant stress for Penn State, as they need to pay his buyout with James Franklin’s. The timing couldn’t be any worse, as there’s an 83.6% chance of them making it to the playoffs this year. This means the Aggies will be playing late in December and early January, whereas Penn State would need an HC before the portal opens around January 2nd-16th, when players switch colleges.

In addition, Elko already got a house on College Station back in August, making it clear that he plans to move there soon, which shows he plans to stay at A&M. After shutting down Penn State rumors, Mike Elko also addressed his team’s shaky defense against Arkansas.

Mike Elko gets real on his defense

Mike Elko’s team has come up strong against Arkansas in the past. Still, it wasn’t an easy win for them, as their defensive struggles were pretty visible, which let the Razorbacks run the ball easily in the fourth quarter. It was tough to stop Taylen Green, but despite that, they did record three sacks against him and one against safety Dalton Brooks.

Even Elko didn’t hold back from addressing the issues. “Defensively, we picked a really, really bad time to have a bad game,” Elko said. “We didn’t play anywhere near the standard of Texas A&M football, ever, at any point.” Despite the win, Elko clarified they must iron out the wrinkles before going up against LSU next week.

The urge makes sense, as missed tackles were a key issue, as they allowed two touchdowns in the last two minutes of the first half, which almost shifted the entire game. They did an excellent job on third-down defense, but the Razorbacks found ways to break it as WR O’Mega Blake recorded seven catches with 118 yards and a touchdown against them.

Now, let’s wait and see if they can mix all their inconsistency before taking on LSU next week, because this game can decide both of their playoff fates.