Texas A&M opened the 2025 season with a 42-24 win over UTSA, showcasing the Aggies’ new transfer wide receiver duo. KC Concepcion and Mario Craver combined for 194 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air, with Concepcion adding an 80-yard touchdown early in the first quarter.
However, this was a tight contest until Texas A&M pulled away late in the third quarter after UTSA running back Robert Henry Jr. found the end zone for a second time on a 75-yard run, leaving us all stunned at just how poorly the Aggie defense had performed, given the talent discrepancy.
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This was the last time the Roadrunners scored until late in the fourth quarter due to Elko’s second-half adjustments, resulting in zero rushing yards allowed until both coaches took out their starters. Still, it’s perfectly acceptable to judge the Aggies’ early defensive performance, coupled with a poor run game that resulted in just 108 yards on the ground, and only three carries for star back Le’Veon Moss.
As they say, a win is a win, but with Utah State visiting this weekend, Elko and his staff need to fix the remaining defensive issues. In contrast, OC Collin Klein will need to get the running game going before heading to South Bend to face a rested and prepared Notre Dame team, which will require a balanced attack.
On Monday, Mike Elko spoke to the media to kick off Week 2. Here is everything he had to say.
Mike Elko on how the Aggies will attack practice this week after a shaky Week 1 defensive performance
“Wrapping up the first one, it played out like a lot of openers play out.”
“Offensively, we have to look at our consistency of execution and efficiency… Defensively, I thought we did a good job in the passing game and the pass defense, but obviously, the rushing yards were way too many, and that’s an area of concern you need to get fixed.”
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Elko on what to expect from Utah State on defense
“Defensively, they’re a mix between three-down and four-down… Trying to figure out what they’re going to be when they’ve only got one game against a spread-out team is a little bit of a challenge.”
Elko on Utah State’s starting quarterback
“They’re led by a quarterback in Bryson Barnes, who we think is a really incredible player… He’s a very capable thrower.”
Expect the same level of competition as UTSA
“They’ll come into this environment and certainly play their best football and be excited to be here.”
Elko on QB Marcel Reed’s career day against UTSA
“I thought he did a nice job. I thought he was comfortable. I thought he was poised.”
“I thought he delivered some really confident balls across the middle on time.”
Elko on the challenge opening season games present
“These opening games are more challenging each year because roster and scheme, you don’t have as good of a feel for what you’re getting into.”
Elko on Utah State veteran HC Bronco Mendenhall
“He’s a tough, hard-minded head coach, and his teams show that. There is a blue-collar approach to how his teams play.”
Texas A&M’s defense in a nutshell
“Regardless of who you play and regardless of what it looks like, we’re really good when we do what we’re capable of, and we’re really bad when we don’t.”
Elko on Texas A&M’s Mission 12
“Regardless of how many rules change, how much money gets involved in this, how much NIL gets involved in this, at the end of the day, we’re still taking an 18-year-old away from home for the first time, and our job is to develop them into young men.”
Elko on safety Dalton Brooks returning to the lineup
“He’s a really talented player. He’s a really good run-and-hit safety… We’re excited to get him back.”
Elko on the Texas A&M offensive line rotation
“I think we’re at our best when we have rotation and depth. That allows us the ability to be fresh, play our hardest, rotate guys and keep guys engaged. Eventually, injuries will step in and stop our ability to do that as frequently as we want to.”
“It’s in our best interest to play as many as we can as long as the level doesn’t drop.”
Elko praising RB EJ Smith’s block during KC Concepcion’s 80-yard punt return
“EJ Smith blocked three people on KC (Concepcion)’s touchdown.”
Elko called it one of the “greatest effort plays” he has seen in his coaching career.
Elko on star linebacker Taurean York
“You started to see it about midway through the year last year… He was feeling his way through a little bit and was probably a little frustrated with how he was playing in the beginning.”
“For everything that didn’t go great in the back half of the year on defense last year, he really improved… Now, he goes into Year 2, and he isn’t thinking at all. He has it all down.”
Elko on Texas A&M’s performance in coverage against UTSA
“From a comfortability standpoint, we had a much better pulse for what we were trying to do, coverage-wise.”
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Elko has one of the funnier responses to Texas A&M’s new LED light show in Kyle Field
“I have no idea what the LED lights look like because I didn’t even realize they did anything with them.”
“I had nothing to do with any of that. They tried to set up all of these meetings with me.”
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Texas A&M HC Mike Elko said during Monday’s presser
