COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M opens its season Saturday against Missouri State, and head coach Mike Elko says the Aggies are ready to stop talking and start playing.
"It's finally game week," Elko said. "Finally we get to stop talking about what things can be and we get to run out of the tunnel and go play somebody else."
Before the game, the program will celebrate one of its most decorated figures. A statue of former head coach RC Slocum will be unveiled Friday at 2 p.m. Slocum is the winningest head football coach in Texas A&M history, having won 6 Southwest Conference championships and 2 Big 12 South Conference championships.
"He really epitomizes what being an elite coach here at Texas A&M is all about," Elko said. "Hopefully we'll get a lot of people out for that. That's a really cool moment."
Elko said Slocum holds a special place in the program and is always welcome, adding that he wants to make sure Slocum knows the program is his home whenever he wants to be around it.
Elko also congratulated 32 former Aggies who made NFL rosters, including players on injured reserve and the physically unable to perform list, calling it a great accomplishment for those players.
On the field, Elko described Missouri State as one of the hotter athletic departments in the country since joining Conference USA. The Bears went to a bowl game in their first year at the FBS level, winning 7 games. The women's basketball team advanced in the NCAA tournament, and the baseball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Missouri State also hired a new head coach this offseason in Casey Woods, who previously served as offensive coordinator at SMU.
"He's really well renowned as an offensive strategist, a young guy who has been really, really hot on the OC market in the last few years," Elko said.
Preparing for a new staff adds a layer of complexity to game week preparation, Elko said, with his staff pulling film from UTEP, SMU, TCU, Tulane, and Auburn to piece together a schematic picture. On the field, he highlighted a quarterback who transferred from UTEP and started 7 games, a slot receiver who led the team in receiving last year, and a tight end he described as a matchup problem in the passing game.
The offensive line competition has been productive, Elko said, but the starting five has not been fully determined heading into Saturday. He added that regardless of who starts, multiple players will rotate through.
"The more guys that you have involved, the more guys that you believe can help you win, the better that is for everything," Elko said. "It's better for morale. It's better for lasting 12 games. It's better for development."
Linebacker Daymion Sanford is expected to play Saturday, though Elko called it a game-time decision. Kicker David Olano won a close competition over Asher Murray after Olano missed most of the spring due to injury, allowing Murray to build momentum before the two entered a full competition in fall camp.
"Both guys were phenomenal," Elko said. "We just decided to go with the guy who maybe has done it a little bit more at the college level at this point."
Cornerback Julio Humphrey earned a starting role through consistency and improved confidence in coverage, Elko said. He credited Humphrey's work ethic and noted he has not missed a single practice since last season ended. Elko said one area of growth was Humphrey's decision-making on the ball, adding that he had gotten antsy at times last year, which led to unnecessary contact with receivers.
The linebacker room has also made a significant jump, with Elko singling out Ray Coney, Noah McHale, Jordan Lockhart, and Tamarion Watkins for their development. Quarterback Marcel Reed, meanwhile, has improved his command of the offense, but Elko said the proof will come on the field.
"He works really hard, he's gotten better, he's got a better command of the offense, but he's got to go out and we've got to play," Elko said.
The Aggies held Saturday practices at game-time conditions in the stadium throughout fall camp to prepare for the heat, with the opener kicking off at 6 p.m. When asked what he expects to see from his team every week, Elko pointed to physicality, mental toughness, and effort — but kept his expectations for week one measured.
"We'll see," he said. "I think we have a chance to be really good if we have the ability to go out and focus and play with the level of urgency that we need to."
