From afar, it’s hard not to see this whole Texas A&M coaching search a little unnerving and worrisome.
The Aggies are basically paying off the national debt to rid themselves of former coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff - and that’s when the situation turned downright strange.
Athletics director Ross Bjork seemed to have a clear vision in mind, he laid it out by talking about how some coaches go 55 in the left lane and are being passed by others going 70 and that leaders need to adapt and that Texas A&M was stuck and not moving forward.
Depending on what story you read and what you listen to, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was offered the job on Saturday night.
Texas A&M fans went ballistic. The choice of Stoops - 73-64 overall and 35-55 in the SEC - was not welcomed and so a few hours later, and after numerous reports that Stoops was offered the job, the Kentucky coach posted a message that he was staying in Lexington.
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That’s when numerous current Texas A&M players took to social media to support giving the job to Elijah Robinson, the interim coach who’s popular with the team and many recruits but who has zero head coaching experience.
That’s no longer a prerequisite at some places - and the Notre Dame roster loved that Marcus Freeman got that job when Brian Kelly left for LSU - but I cannot believe that was within the plans of Bjork when he canned Fisher earlier this season and ate a massively ridiculous buyout.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning quickly turned down any Texas A&M overtures. Ohio State coach Ryan Day? Urban Meyer dismissed any Day rumors on Big Noon Kickoff like it was so outrageous to even consider. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney? Don't make Tyler from Spartanburg laugh.
So enters Duke coach Mike Elko.
It’s a fine choice. Elko has a long track record of being a defensive-minded coach, he has a coaching history at Texas A&M and he’s done an impressive job with the Blue Devils but there are also some concerns here.
Defense has not been Texas A&M’s problem. Unleashing playmakers has been and now it looks like top receiver Evan Stewart has one foot - if not more - in the transfer portal. Quarterback Max Johnson already announced he intends to enter.
Duke, long a struggling program except for some glory days during David Cutcliffe’s run in Durham, went 9-4 in Elko’s first season and it was one of the best coaching jobs in recent memory.
But the Blue Devils fell to 7-5 this season as injuries piled up but also as higher-end teams didn’t overlook Duke any longer. Is this the guy who regularly beats Alabama coach Nick Saban, Georgia's Kirby Smart or Kelly, the winningest coach ever at Notre Dame? That's what it will take to win the SEC.
Elko will have tremendously more resources and money at Texas A&M, a far wider recruiting net to land top players and everything available to him to succeed.
But so did Fisher and so did Kevin Sumlin and the Aggies have had just one double-digit winning season in the last 25 years.
Elko is a fine hire - but the assistant coaches he brings with him are going to be just as important especially on the offensive side of the ball. College Station is not the place to learn on the job, he needs big-timers there not only to call plays and move the ball but to recruit.
Recruiting is, of course, key.
Not only does Texas A&M battle Texas, which has all the momentum in the world right now, for in-state prospects but Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and others for elite national talent.
Elko wasn’t hired to win nine games and be the feel-good story of college football. This isn’t upstart Duke where expectations are low and going to bowl games thrill a fan base.
Fisher was paid $100 million to win SEC and national titles. He never really came close. Can Elko? Sure, possibly. He’s a talented and smart coach. He’s a solid hire. He has a fantastic defensive mind and did great things at Duke.
But this ain’t Duke.
