Sports

Mike Elko makes bold statement about new Texas A&M secondary

Texas A&M Aggies On SI · Jul 21, 2026 21:47 · 2 min read

Mike Elko Makes Bold Statement About New Texas A&M Secondary — Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko takes the field prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes during the first round of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Aggies' head coach can't hide his excitement for one defensive unit as the team prepares for the 2026 season.

The Texas A&M Aggies are gearing up for what could be another special season for the program in College Station.

Head coach Mike Elko enters his third season as the leader of the sidelines. Last year, the Aggies went 11-2 and started the season with 11 straight wins. While an early exit in the College Football Playoff was a bummer, the Aggies have bigger goals for 2026.

This week, SEC Media Days have begun in Tampa Bay, Florida. It's a week when everyone will get a chance to learn more about each team in the conference. Coach Elko wasted little time in talking about one unit on the Aggies' defense that could be the best he has ever seen.

Huge Expectations

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko walks off the field after defeating the Samford Bulldogs 48-0 in a game at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"This is the best secondary I've had in seven years at Texas A&M," Elko said.

Before taking over the program back in 2024, Elko spent 2018-2021 as the defensive coordinator for the program.

If Elko is saying that he believes the secondary is the best it's ever been during his time with the school, fans should start believing that.

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko calls a play during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, the Aggies finished third in the SEC in yards given up per game through the air at 176.6. That's a pretty stingy unit, and if the head coach is right, it may even get better during the 2026 season.

The Aggies' secondary will be a veteran group full of returning players. That's not something a lot of teams can say during the transfer portal era.

The Aggies' secondary will be led by Dalton Brooks, Marcus Ratcliffe, Dezz Ricks, Julio Humphrey, and Jordan Shaw. All of whom are juniors and seniors.

There are also a few additions from the transfer portal that could make a splash in the secondary. Junior cornerback Rickey Gibson III and safety Tawfiq Byrad will be looking to make a name for themselves on their new team.

Elko is of the belief that his defense will be a strong unit once again this season. Given the list of talent in his secondary, he has every reason to believe this could also be the best defensive unit he has coached during his time at the school.

Fall camp is just around the corner, but with comments like this, fans are counting down the days until they can finally see this time in game action.

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