Following consecutive losses, Aaron Torres targets the head coach’s personnel gambles, citing catastrophic failures at quarterback and offensive coordinator as the program’s downward spiral continues.
Texas A&M’s season has taken a sharp turn in recent weeks, and one analyst believes the responsibility for the Aggies’ struggles falls entirely on head coach Mike Elko.
After beginning the season with considerable expectations, Texas A&M has now endured consecutive losses to Kentucky and LSU, leaving the program searching for answers at a critical point in the season. The latest setback, a 35-6 loss to LSU, only intensified the questions surrounding the direction of the team and the decisions being made by the coaching staff.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Aaron Torres offered an especially direct assessment of the situation, placing the blame squarely on Elko. The criticism extends beyond the final results and into the decisions surrounding quarterback Marcel Reed and the overall management of the team.
"I like Mike Elko. But running an SEC program in 2026 is like running a $100 million company. And this season, he bet on both the wrong QB *and* wrong OC – which is inexcusable in this era. This falls 100% on him," Torres said.
Reed has been at the center of plenty of discussion following the Aggies’ recent struggles. Elko has continued to publicly support his quarterback, even as questions have emerged about whether changes could be necessary. Before the LSU matchup, Elko had already made it clear that he remained committed to Reed despite the difficult performance against Kentucky.
That decision has now become part of the larger conversation surrounding Elko.
For Texas A&M, the issue is not simply that the Aggies have lost two games. It is the manner in which those losses have unfolded. The Kentucky defeat exposed problems that carried into the LSU game, and the Aggies were unable to generate much resistance against the Tigers.
That has put increased attention on Elko and his coaching staff as they attempt to stabilize the program.
The criticism also comes at a particularly important time. Texas A&M entered the season with aspirations of competing at a high level, making the recent slide even more significant. A team with those expectations cannot afford to let one difficult stretch turn into a prolonged collapse.
Elko now faces the challenge of getting his team back on track while addressing questions about his personnel decisions, offensive approach and overall leadership.
Whether the Aggies can respond will ultimately determine how this stretch is viewed. For now, though, the criticism is becoming louder, Elko must shoulder a lot of the responsibility for where Texas A&M currently stands.
