Mike Elko isn’t here to play nice with the rest of the FBS. After putting up a gritty 8-5 season in his first year at Texas A&M, the Aggies were flirting with serious SEC relevance by season’s end. And this time, he’s not just upgrading on the field; he’s weaponizing the recruiting trail.

The latest piece of Mike Elko’s master plan is snagging one of the most respected recruiting names in college football. As 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on X on June 4, “Texas A&M is currently expected to hire David “Pop” Cooney in a recruiting related role.” Don’t let this vague job title fool you. This move is as strategic as it gets.

Zenitz added, David Cooney “spent the last eight seasons working at Miami, including three years as director of recruiting and the last two as assistant wide receivers coach.” He’s a guy who helped land some of the most loaded classes in the ACC.

David Cooney’s last two seasons were spent grooming WRs as Miami’s assistant receivers coach, where he had a front-row seat to a unit that averaged 348.2 receiving yards per game in 2024, which ranks third in the nation. By comparison, Mike Elko saw his team’s passing game limp to 210.3 yards a game, a forgettable 87th overall. If Texas A&M needed a signal to supercharge their skill positions, this is it.

Here’s where things get interesting. David Cooney played a central role in recruiting Tristen Keys, a 5-star WR currently committed to LSU but keeping A&M on his radar. He’s one of Adidas’ newest NIL darlings. And guess which schools made his top list?

Adidas-aligned Miami and A&M. And don’t overlook Cooney’s bond with 4-star WR commit Aaron Gregory, who’s currently being wooed by the Texas Longhorns. If Mike Elko can hold off their biggest in-state rival and possibly flip a 5-star from the Bayou, this hire might be the foundation for the big dreams he has for the Aggies. 

Mike Elko reveals his goal for the Aggies with a warning to other programs

Mike Elko knows timing is everything in college football. Texas A&M is prepping for a major weekend in College Station. The Aggies are set to host a handful of 2026 blue-chip prospects, including multiple five-stars like DL Bryce Perry-Wright and Tristan Keys. They also have 12 commits in their 2026 recruiting class, which ranks No. 6 per On3. With David Cooney joining the staff just days before visits ramp up, A&M is making their strategic approach clear. 

The move also follows a familiar Mike Elko rhythm that added Lyle Hemphill to the defensive staff as a key offseason addition. And these hires only throw weight on the warning that the Aggies HC gave to 133 FBS teams at Houston Coach’s Night. “I think this is really important,” he said. “Our goal is to build the best program we are capable of being. When we do that, it won’t matter who we play or who is in the SEC. No one will be able to stop us.” 

Well, part of that goal is already in progress with talks about hiring David Cooney. And with moves like this, it’s getting harder to bet against Mike Elko.