The Los Angeles Post
U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: April 07, 2025
Today: April 07, 2025

Texas A&M hires Duke coach Mike Elko, former Aggies defensive coordinator, to replace Jimbo Fisher

Pittsburgh Duke Football
November 26, 2023

Texas A&M hired Duke coach Mike Elko to lead the Aggies on Monday, replacing Jimbo Fisher with his former defensive coordinator for four years in College Station.

Elko left the Aggies to take his first head coaching job at Duke after the 2021 season and went 16-9 in two seasons. The Blue Devils had won just 10 games combined the three previous years.

โ€œCoach Mike Elko is one of the best leaders and coaches in college football and has had high-level success at each stop of his career,โ€ A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said. โ€œHe is known amongst coaching circles as one of the best defensive minds in the country and has shown his ability to lead and turn around a program as a Power Five head coach.โ€

Texas A&M hires Duke coach Mike Elko, former Aggies defensive coordinator, to replace Jimbo Fisher
Pittsburgh Duke Football

Texas A&M fired Fisher earlier this month, paying a record buyout of more than $75 million to move on from him with two games left in his sixth season with the Aggies.

Elko, who also had stints as defensive coordinator at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, led defenses that ranked in the top three of the Southeastern Conference in his final two seasons with A&M.

This season at Duke, Elko guided the Blue Devils to a 4-0 start, but they struggled after quarterback Riley Leonard was injured at the end of a close loss to Notre Dame. Duke finished 7-5.

Texas A&M's search seemed to take a twist this past weekend. There were reports the school was close to a deal with Kentucky's Mark Stoops on Saturday, but it didn't get done.

Texas A&M hires Duke coach Mike Elko, former Aggies defensive coordinator, to replace Jimbo Fisher
Texas A M Mississippi Football

Stoops even posted a statement on social media acknowledging he had been contacted by another school about a โ€œpotential opportunityโ€ but saying he would be staying put. He did not mention Texas A&M.

The Aggies ended their season Saturday at 7-5 with a loss at LSU.

With the transfer portal opening in a week and the early signing period for high school recruits coming up later in December, school officials wanted to move quickly to get a new coach in place.

They landed on the 46-year-old Elko, a New Jersey native who was a key recruiter for Fisher in Texas and directed a defense that was the best part of Fisher's most successful team in 2020, which went 9-1.

During the first four seasons of Fisher's tenure, with Elko on staff, the Aggies went 34-14 and landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2022.

___

Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Related Articles

Hailey Van Lith vs. Louisville when TCU guard faces team she went deep in March Madness with 3 times JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo headline women's AP All-America team; Bueckers, Betts, Booker join them Indiana hires Darian DeVries away from West Virginia as new head coach Betting on women's college basketball rides post-Caitlin Clark wave as NCAA Tournament begins
Share This

Popular

Environment|Europe|Science|Sports|Travel

Zen the border collie teaches other dogs how to rescue people in Italy's avalanche-prone Dolomites

Zen the border collie teaches other dogs how to rescue people in Italy's avalanche-prone Dolomites
Sports

Guerrero, Blue Jays agree to a $500 million, 14-year deal that starts in 2026, AP source says

Guerrero, Blue Jays agree to a $500 million, 14-year deal that starts in 2026, AP source says
Americas|Sports

Sagstrom beats Coughlin 1-up in T-Mobile Match Play to end 5-year drought on LPGA Tour

Sagstrom beats Coughlin 1-up in T-Mobile Match Play to end 5-year drought on LPGA Tour
Sports

Mariners' Robles carted off field with shoulder injury after making dazzling catch against Giants

Mariners' Robles carted off field with shoulder injury after making dazzling catch against Giants

Sports

Sports

Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record by scoring his 895th

Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record by scoring his 895th
Sports|US

After 149 wins over 6 seasons, J'Wan Roberts needs 1 more in last game for Houston's 1st NCAA title

After 149 wins over 6 seasons, J'Wan Roberts needs 1 more in last game for Houston's 1st NCAA title
Business|Sports

Manfred says torpedo bats are 'good for baseball' and he hopes to see robot umps in MLB by 2026

Manfred says torpedo bats are 'good for baseball' and he hopes to see robot umps in MLB by 2026
Sports

Hamlin takes the lead out of pits and holds off Byron in overtime to win at Darlington Raceway

Hamlin takes the lead out of pits and holds off Byron in overtime to win at Darlington Raceway

Access this article for free.

Already have an account? Sign In