Mike Elko knew when he arrived back at Texas A&M that the defense would be in good hands. After all, he's the architect of the whole thing.
Offensively, there were questions. A&M rebounded after a 101st finish under new coordinator Bobby Petrino, but the concerns of the offensive line and quarterback play led to a 7-5 finish.
The record is a blemish. A&M was three plays away from being a contender for the SEC West. A completed pass against Ole Miss notches eight wins for A&M. One less interception against Tennessee leads to nine.
So when Elko pried Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein away from his alma mater, he knew it had to be a move that would elevate the production from a season ago. Klein's knowledge of the quarterback room and how to play under pressure certainly factored into the move.
“He’s extremely intelligent," Elko said of Klein during an interview on TexAgs Radio. "I think he’s a phenomenal human. When you put those two things together, you can get a lot of success. He has already connected with our kids.”
Klein, who finished third in Heisman voting behind A&M quarterback Johnny Manzie in 2012, guided the Wildcats' offense to their first Big 12 title since 2003. His concepts led to Will Howard and Avery Johnson becoming fixtures in the Big 12.
Conner Weigman, A&M's projected starter, isn't known for his mobility. He's a pocket-passer through and through and should remain behind the line scrimmage unless it's a last-second resort.
Elko mentioned during the hiring process that Klein's offense doesn't cater to just one brand. He's adaptable to his surroundings with time, and it just takes a few practices to understand the dos and don'ts of the playbook.
“I think the offensive coordinator position is the more important one from a hiring standpoint because he’s going to have to carry 85-90 percent of the schematic standpoint," said Elko. "But the harder hire was the defensive coordinator.”
It's still unclear who will call plays in 2024. Under Jimbo Fisher, Elko and D.J. Durkin were given full control of the playbook. In Durham, Elko called the defense for a Blue Devils' roster that went 16-9 under his watch.
Trust is essential for a coach-coordinator relationship, especially when relinquishing play-calling duties to someone else. That factored into the hiring of Florida linebacker coach Jay Bateman, who will also coach linebackers in College Station.
“When you point out the relationship, the relationship has continued for 20 years," Elko said of Bateman. "When you work with somebody and you respect the person you work with and stay in connection with them for a long time, that created a lot of familiarity with Jay. Philosophically, we’ve had a lot of conversations over the years.”
Last season, A&M finished 19th in total defense and 36th in scoring. The Aggies excelled at pressuring the backfield, finishing eighth among FBS schools in both sacks and tackles for loss.
Edgerrin Cooper, who earned first-team All-SEC honors, is off to the NFL. His production behind the line will be missed, but could be replaced by Florida transfer Scooby Williams. Elko also praised freshman Tauren York this offseason after the Temple product took over as the permanent weakside backer.
In addition to Williams, A&M picked up the commitment of Purdue edge rusher Nic Scourton. Last season with the Boilermakers, the Bryan native led the Big Ten in sacks (10.5) and finished third in tackles for loss (15).
Bateman won't feature the same defense that finished third in scoring under Elko's watch in 2021, but the newcomers should fill the gap lost to the transfer portal and draft. Other names joining the Maroon and White this offseason include cornerback Will Lee III (Kansas State), cornerback Jaydon Hill (Florida) and safety DeRickey Wright (Vanderbilt).
The Aggies return to Kyle Field for the annual Maroon and White Game on April 20.
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