Everything Mike Elko said during Wednesday's Aggie Football Hour

Texas A&M's 2026 season opener vs. Missouri State is just nine days away, which means coach Mike Elko , entering his third year at the helm, made his way back to Rudy's Country Store and BBQ on Harvey Road in College Station for the Aggie Football Hour, as the Aggies begin in-season practices with their sights set on starting the 2026 season 1-0 before hosting Arizona State in Week 2.

Through 16 preseason practices, it became abundantly clear that redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed has improved, especially his deep-ball accuracy, which was on full display during the last two scrimmages, connecting with star junior wide receiver Mario Craver for a 50-yard touchdown, while his growing chemistry with Alabama transfer wideout Isaiah Horton is even more critical.

While Reed's improvement, combined with four new starters along the offensive line, will "make or break" the Aggies' chances at making it back to the College Football Playoff for a second straight season, among the 17 transfer portal additions, Texas A&M 's defense, especially the secondary, looks like the team's primary strength outside of the wide receiver corps.

Mike Elko's is a straight shooter, and while he is also one of the funnier head coaches in the country, Wednesday's Aggie Football Hour was all business ahead of the season opener, focused on recapping the preseason and what to expect once the 2026 roster finally takes the field.

Here is everything Mike Elko said on Wednesday night.

Mike Elko was the best fit for College Station

"That's the program you want to build. You earn every opportunity that Texas A&M has given you. A scholarship, an opportunity to be part of this great university, to be a part of it's history."

For the newcomers, walking down the tunnel into Kyle Field will be something to remember

"We've got kids that have transferred from high-profile schools, but until you come walking down that tunnel in the opener on a Saturday night, and you feel it, you haven't done it." "It's completely different."

"We've got kids that have transferred from high-profile schools, but until you come walking down that tunnel in the opener on a Saturday night, and you feel it, you haven't done it."

"Ultimately you want this to be a place where people feel like they're given a platform to grow. If they feel like they're given the platform to grow, then what happens at somepoint is they grow to the next phase of their career."

Being an SEC head coach requires selflessness

"I always wanted to be a guy that felt as though he was doing right by all of the people in his building, not just what was in my best interest or what was best for me and Texas A&M."

Every player on the 2026 roster has received over 1,000 reps this offseason

"There are close to 2,000 reps between last season and September 5th. To each kid, they're probably getting somewhere around 1,000 to 1,100 plays."

Mike Elko on Texas A&M's 2026 linebacker room

"It's a good group. It's obviously great to have Daymion Sanford back out there… I think Ray Coney has had a phenomenal summer. "Then you got Noah Mikhail and Jordan Lockhart, I think ready to get out there."

"It's a good group. It's obviously great to have Daymion Sanford back out there… I think Ray Coney has had a phenomenal summer.

"Then you got Noah Mikhail and Jordan Lockhart, I think ready to get out there."

College football is not for the faint of heart

"It's a long, grueling, physical sport… you got to get used to that. You've got to embrace it a little bit. You've got to embrace the fact that you've got to be able to compete at a really, really high level when you don't feel your absolute best all the time."

No one in the building will be taking Arizona State lightly

"People lose sight of the fact that Arizona State is a top-25 team that beat Texas Tech last year. So, we have nine [conference games] plus another one."

Mike Elko on the annual Celebrity Softball Game

"It was a blast… the more we do it, the more we can grow it. I think it's cool to be doing things like that in the Bryan-College Station community."

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