Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko walks the sideline against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Mike Elko Establishing Strong Culture with Texas A&M Aggies

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By DJ Burton | Last updated May 30, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Tradition is intertwined with Texas A&M , and coach Mike Elko wants his team to be at the forefront of the culture.

Elko spoke during Wednesday’s Austin Coach’s night between his appearances at the Brazos Valley Coach’s night and Thursday’s SEC Spring Meetings. It is officially the part of the offseason where the coaches are the directors of their respective teams’ hype train, and Elko knows exactly how to appeal to the 12th Man.

A&M, as a university, is built on six Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service. A way the student body exercises the Core Values is through The Big Event, an annual student-organized, student-ran service project in College Station.

"For the second straight year, we had 100 percent attendance in The Big Event in College Station,” Elko said. ”We've been way more active in the community service aspect of our program."

Participants in The Big Event are assigned groups, which go out and perform tasks at homes in the area, ranging anywhere from raking leaves and mulching to painting gutters.

"We've been able to reconnect with our community so that our kids are not just viewed as athletes, but they're also viewed as Aggies,” Elko said.

A&M football is at the center of A&M’s traditions. From Midnight Yell, “Gig ‘em,” and yell leaders to the 12th Man, Aggie Bonfire and Maroon Out, football is the nucleus.

The Aggies kick off their 2025 campaign on Aug. 30 with a home bout against UTSA.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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