Texas A&M is gearing up for another memorable run this season, but head coach Mike Elko thinks there's a long way to go.
The Texas A&M Aggies are back on the gridiron after a monumental 2025 campaign. Spring practices got underway last week and head coach Mike Elko had a few thoughts on the new squad.
Elko led the Aggies back to college football prominence in his second season in College Station. They were the last unbeaten team in the SEC before falling to rival Texas in the regular season finale.
While the loss was a bitter pill to swallow, A&M's strong resume still sent them to its first College Football Playoff appearance.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, they were paired up with the Miami Hurricanes in the first round. The Canes' defense smothered A&M inside Kyle Field in a disappointing 10-3 loss. Miami would later finish as a national runner-up.
The 11-2 season didn't end the way that Elko and company hoped for but it could prove to be a stepping stone toward perennial success. However, it seems this year's team has work to do to reach this mark.
Following the first few days of practice, Elko shared some hard truth about his Aggies.
"We learn that we have an awful long way to go to be a good football team," said Elko. However, Elko quickly followed up with reassurance that the first practice is never the sole indicator for success.
He also shared some positive takeaways from the early stages of this season. "I'm happy with where we are as a group and the progress that we've made," Elko said.
"But when you're comparing it to wanting to be a playoff team...three practices in the spring it's not there yet," he shared candidly.
As Elko said, it's hard to believe that any program across the nation has its entire team performing at peak status during the first few weeks of spring ball. This is good news for the Aggies, who are returning several core pieces and have plenty of time to round into form.
Quarterback Marcel Reed is returning after his first season as a starter in College Station. He faltered late in the year but was a pivotal part of the memorable run for Texas A&M. While he's losing a prime target in KC Concepcion, his wideout partner Mario Craver is suiting up again for the Aggies.
With several new additions alongside the proven threats, Texas A&M has the talent to reach the heights from last season.
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