After securing a 48-20 victory over Arizona State to improve to 2-0 in 2026, Texas A&M will now turn its attention to a talented SEC foe with an offensive mastermind at the helm.
First-year head coach Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats
will travel to College Station for a showdown against the Aggies on Saturday, marking the first contest between the two programs since 2018 and just their fourth matchup ever.The Wildcats had No. 10 Alabama reeling in Lexington in Week 2, but were unable to close things out, leading to a 45-17 loss to the Crimson Tide. Among the many storylines in this game is the return of former Aggie defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who is calling the shots for Kentucky's defensive unit.
Texas A&M's performance against Arizona
State was solid, but there is still much to be desired, especially offensively. As was projected all offseason, the Aggies' offensive line struggled to establish dominance in the trenches, with a plethora of new pieces in the unit. That is something they must improve upon moving forward, as they open SEC play this weekend.
Here is everything Elko said during his weekly press conference, ahead of Saturday's matchup against Kentucky:
Elko applauds the showing from the 12th Man against Arizona State
"A thank you to the 12th Man again. I wore the hat and the shirt again for this reason. We know that Texas in September is not fun. For us to go 107,000 in back-to-back weeks is something we've never done before," Elko said.
Elko on the upcoming SEC opener against Kentucky
"Any time you bring in an SEC game, it's going to be a big challenge. A lot of respect for Will Stein and all that he does as an offensive coach," Elko said. "It's going to be another formidable offensive attack."
Elko on facing the Wildcats on Saturday
"We'll have our hands full with Kentucky, and it'll be another big challenge and big game for us. We're looking forward to it," Elko said.
Elko discusses what the Aggies must do to improve moving forward
"We have to be able to run the ball more effectively than that. We've got to do a better job of blocking. That's a part of it. We have to do a better job of running behind the block. That's part of it," Elko said.
Elko's evaluation of Marcel Reed's performance in Week 2
"Up and down. Certainly better than the stats maybe would say. I wouldn't necessarily say he played poorly, but there were poor plays," Elko said. "Early in the year, some good and some bad. A continued work-in-progress, like we are as a team right now."
Elko's update on Daymion Sanford
"It's never a problem when you have too many good players. I've never once had that be a problem," Elko said. "Daymion is a kid who is a captain, a really talented player, and he's going to be ready at some point. In his absence, it has been awesome to see Ray (Coney) and Noah (Mikhail). We'll have to be creative with how we utilize those three guys when we get Daymion back."
Elko on the improvements on the offensive line
"I don't expect anything. You have to make things happen. We're not sitting around and hoping time solves. We've got to find solutions and find creative ways," Elko said. "That starts with me and starts with our staff."
Elko tips his cap to what Bravion Rogers has done to produce for the Aggie defense
"There are so many more stories like that than anybody wants to give credit," Elko said. "He's someone who has worked and been a great player for the team. He's a kid, from our perspective, who has made a lot of impactful plays. Maybe not the biggest name but a big piece of what a team can be successful and win football games."
Elko on what the Kentucky defense brings to Kyle Field in Week 3
"You have a mixed bag of what Jay (Bateman) has traditionally been or wanted to be combined with a couple of things he picked up here that he liked," Elko said.
Elko's evaluation of Texas A&M's talent at safety
"Safety is a huge position from a communication standpoint. Marcus (Ratcliffe), and even Dalton (Brooks) to some degree with his experience, the two of them add so much value," Elko said. "Marcus is really flexible with what we can do with him. Third downs, we can play him at linebacker some."
It's officially SEC week
"Every game has meaning, and every game has importance, but the second you throw up an SEC logo in that Monday meeting, you see everything perk up a bit. That's the nature of playing in this league. You see the energy in the room change," Elko said.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Texas A&M HC Mike Elko said ahead of SEC opener in Week 3
