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When asked about how he keeps his team motivated after the program earned its first College Football Playoff birth last season, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said he shows them the trophy case.
As simple as it may seem, it gets Elko's message across loud and clear about where he wants to take Texas A&M football, while not letting the emptiness that accompanies the trophy case be lost in the process. Elko is making sure his team is not becoming complacent with just reaching the playoffs and letting the goal of winning the national title get lost in translation.
With the No. 4 transfer portal class, No. 7 recruiting class and a slew of electrifying returning starters on the roster entering the 2026 season, Texas A&M has the talent and the head coach to go as far as they will allow themselves to go.
For the first time since 1992, the Aggies started last year's campaign 11-0, including a 7-0 mark in SEC play. That was, until Elko and company traveled to Austin for the Lone Star Showdown, in which the Aggies dropped a 27-17 decision that prevented the Maroon and White from reaching their first appearance in the SEC Championship.
Shortly after falling to the Longhorns for the second consecutive season, Texas A&M suffered a 10-3 loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs at Kyle Field, leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the coaching staff, players and Aggie fans.
Despite the disappointing finish to the 2025-26 season, all hope is not lost. The Aggies reeled in some of the top athletes in the country via the portal and high school ranks to help replace the talent lost, 10 of whom were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Texas A&M has all the tools to clear the dust in the trophy case and replace it with the top prize in college football, but that road to the title begins with starting the season 1-0 on September 5.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'I show them our trophy case and it's empty': Texas A&M HC on avoiding complacency
