{"id":362067,"date":"2026-07-05T20:22:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T20:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362067\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T20:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T20:22:15","slug":"mike-elko-may-finally-be-breaking-texas-ams-most-frustrating-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362067\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Elko May Finally Be Breaking Texas A&M’s Most Frustrating Cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"

With talk of Texas A&M<\/a> spending a reported $10 million on its No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class, it\u2019s hard not to think back to that ill-fated 2022 class<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was essentially one of the first NIL recruiting classes, and one in which Texas A&M flexed its financial muscle, bringing in a record nine five-star prospects in a single class. At that time, signing a No. 1 class essentially meant the opening of a national championship window, and it seemed that then-head coach Jimbo Fisher finally had a window.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Except that, instead of it being just the beginning of Fisher\u2019s tenure, that was the beginning of the end. Fisher\u2019s infamous class flopped, as behavioral issues plagued some of the highest-ranked prospects while others didn\u2019t stay in College Station for long before entering the transfer portal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jimbo<\/p>\n

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher during warmups before the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday September 22, 2018.<\/p>\n

Pre421 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Will History Repeat Itself?<\/p>\n

Now, four years removed from that infamous failure, the Aggies are rolling once again on the recruiting trail. Fresh off the program\u2019s first College Football Playoff appearance, head coach Mike Elko currently owns the runaway top-ranked class, which features six five-star prospects.<\/p>\n

And while rival fans may claim that, just like in 2022, the Aggies are destined to see history repeat itself. Yet, that isn\u2019t how one SEC general manager sees it, as they told ON3\u2019s Pete Nakos recently that things look different this time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey got some really good players,\u201d an anonymous SEC general manager said<\/a> of Texas A&M. \u201cRankings aside, we liked a lot of the guys they\u2019re taking. They took some freaking great players. Elko\u2019s a damn good coach. This isn\u2019t going to be Jimbo Fisher all over again. Not that Jimbo isn\u2019t a good coach. Elko\u2019s at a different point in his career.\u201d<\/p>\n

That SEC general manager is not alone in believing that things are now different for the Aggies. ON3 national analyst Ari Wasserman seemingly agrees. This isn\u2019t just \u201cstar-chasing,\u201d like he explained happened under Fisher.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t about spraying dollar bills into the air at a nightclub and hoping it makes a difference,\u201d Wasserman writes<\/a>. \u201cThis is calculated, well-allocated spending commensurate with what it takes to be competitive in this market. Yes, Texas A&M has always had the funds. It has never spent them properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now to say whether or not the money is finally being spent properly: time will only truly tell. Yet, if the first two years of Elko\u2019s tenure have proven anything, it\u2019s that the Aggies aren\u2019t solely reliant on money.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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