COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M hosts Kentucky on Saturday at Kyle Field in the Aggies' first SEC game of the season. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN.
Head coach Mike Elko expressed significant respect for the Wildcats heading into conference play, particularly for first-year head coach Will Stein, who came to Kentucky after serving as offensive coordinator at Oregon.
"A lot of respect for Will Stein and the job that he does as an offensive coach, has been one of the best in the country for the last few years. Did a really phenomenal job at Oregon, combined him with Coach Sloan, and it's going to be another formidable offensive attack. And then obviously have a ton of respect for Jay Bateman and the job that he does on defense," Elko said.
Bateman previously worked at Texas A&M, giving him familiarity with the Aggies' program. Elko acknowledged that familiarity creates unique challenges but said his staff has been proactive about changing terminology and personnel packages to limit any advantage. He described himself as being on the "extreme paranoid end" when it comes to protecting the program's systems, noting he is likely on the 7th version of defensive terminology in the last 8 years.
The Aggies are coming off a win over Arizona State in which they dominated the fourth quarter 24-0, a performance Elko credited directly to defensive depth. Texas A&M is rotating as many as 9, 10, or even 11 defensive linemen this season, and Elko said keeping players fresh has become a deliberate weapon — especially with the SEC's new 9-game conference schedule.
"One of our goals specifically on defense really as a program, but specifically on defense is to get a lot of guys that are capable of playing at a high level so that the level doesn't drop. And if you can do that and you can rotate guys even just specifically to the one Arizona State game, I think you see that play out in the 4th quarter. I don't think it's a mistake that we won the 4th quarter 24 to 0," Elko said.
Halftime adjustments have also been a theme through the first two weeks of the season. The Aggies have played significantly better in the second half in both games, and Elko said the ability to adapt mid-game is something the program takes pride in.
"You get into a situation in the game and they find some creative ways to go after your structure and your personnel and now moving forward you've got to find creative ways to adapt and adjust and make sure that that doesn't become a problem. And I think one of the things we've always been good at is finding those solutions in game and particularly at halftime," Elko said.
One area Elko identified as needing improvement heading into SEC play is the running game. Texas A&M averaged just 2.6 yards per carry against Arizona State in the first half, though the backs averaged over 5 yards per carry after the break. Elko said breakdowns occurred at all three levels — the offensive line, the running backs, and perimeter blockers — and was direct about the urgency to fix it.
"We're not gonna be very successful much longer if we don't find better ways to run the football. There's no doubt about it," Elko said.
The energy surrounding SEC play is something Elko said is impossible to contain, and he does not try to. He said the moment an SEC logo goes up on the screen during the Monday morning team meeting, the entire room shifts.
"The second you throw up an SEC logo on that Monday meeting, you just kinda see everything perk up a little bit," Elko said. "I certainly don't tell them like, OK, hey, it's an SEC game, so now we've gotta try, but you certainly see the energy in the room change."
The Aggies also received good news on the injury front. Wide receiver Landon Rink, who left the Arizona State game late, is expected to play Saturday. Running back Chovon Ball, who also left the field late in that game, is also expected to be available.
Texas A&M and Kentucky kick off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN at Kyle Field.
