After making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, Elko and his revamped coaching staff have their sights set on returning to the postseason, but compared to last season’s schedule, road games against LSU, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oklahoma will determine the Aggies’ fate, needing to finishing 10-2, or, at the very least, 9-3 to have a chance at the CFP.<\/p>\n
With starting quarterback Marcel Reed<\/a> returning for his third season under center, Texas A&M’s passing game, on paper at least, should take another big step forward with Alabama transfer WR Isaiah Horton<\/a> now on the roster, bringing his 6’4″ frame that pairs well with star receiver Mario Craver, whose elite speed is already well known.<\/p>\n On defense, replacing unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell will be easy, but landing pass-rushers Anto Saka and Ryan Henderson from the portal gives Elko and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill plenty to work with, while the loaded secondary looks like the defense’s strength.<\/p>\n While Marcel Reed will need to further elevate his overall play, starting with setting his feet and making smarter decisions in close games for the Aggies to win on the road, and get to nine, ten, or eleven wins, Mike Elko deserves credit for taking an 8-5 2024 team to 11-2 in his second season, leading to On3 analyst J.D. PicKell to “take the over” regarding Texas A&M’s recent Draft Kings win total prediciton, set at 9.5.<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n Within the nearly seven-minute clip, PicKell stated that Texas A&M is more “substance than flash” under Mike Elko, while the return of Marcel Reed combined with five internal coaching elevations should result in less change on both sides of the ball, as continuity is vital after achieving several key goals the previous season.<\/p>\n Contact\/Follow us\u00a0@AggiesWire<\/a>\u00a0on X\u00a0(formerly Twitter) and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions.\u00a0Follow Cameron on X:\u00a0@CameronOhnysty<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/33q6Y2fytaI\/maxresdefault.jpg\")