Eight games into his tenure in College Station, Mike Elko gave the program a decisive victory. Texas A&M taken off LSU in impressive fashion in front of 100,000 spectators at Kyle Field. For the first time in program history, the Aggies are 5-0 in SEC history and in the thick of things College Football Playoffs Conversation.

Elko made a big statement not only on the field but also during his postgame press conference. He may have taken a dig at the former head coach Jimbo FisherCalling Texas A&M a “real program.” Certainly a message for recruits after a frustrating few years in Aggieland.

“This is a real program,” Elko said of Brent Zwerneman The Houston Chronicle about X. “It’s not fake. It's not a politician running this program who talks fast and insults everyone. This is a real program and for all the recruits out there, this is a real place.”

Fisher was released by Texas A&M last season after struggling to produce results on the field. In fact, there was actually a decline in performance when Elko left the program to accept this duke Job as a head coach. The Aggies averaged nine wins in the four seasons Elko was the defensive coordinator and totaled 12 wins in 2022 and 2023 following his departure.

So, yeah — Elko could make his former boss aware of what he did with the Texas A&M program. Especially when building the famous Recruitment course 2022one that the former DC helped set up alongside Fisher. From there came many perceptions that Elko believes have now disappeared after just a few months at the helm.

“From my perspective, when I got here, all the rhetoric about this program was like this ZEROMercenaries and selfishness and all those things,” Elko said. “To see where we are now… That’s a credit to the kids in the locker room. It’s an honor for their character, it’s an honor for who they are.”

Whatever demons existed in College Station when Fisher was there, Elko practiced them. Texas A&M is the last undefeated team in the SEC and has a direct path to Atlanta for the conference championship game. Something many Aggies wouldn't have thought possible this time around a few months ago.