Giving shout-outs to the wives, that’s how legends do it. We have seen GOAT and former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban do it. Last year, the legend took the stage to receive the ESPYS award. It came with an appreciation speech for his wife, Terry. “You have to have great support from your family. Miss Terry’s been the love of my life for 52 years, and she has supported me in every way, as my family has. And I certainly appreciate that because there’s a lot of sacrifices families make in coaching. We actually moved 17 times before we ever got to Alabama.”
Here comes another coach to follow Saban’s footsteps. And that’s Texas A&M’s Mike Elko. The 2025 season marks his second year with the Aggies. So, we know what that means; it’s time for a litmus test. While we are yet to figure out Elko’s 2025 momentum, he has someone fueling his drive with all-time support. That’s none other than his wife, Michelle Elko née Michelle Madison.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea shared how he learned a lot of things from Elko, from the football field to life. Lea said, “He’s a great husband and father. I learned a lot watching him parent. He never compromised preparation, but he found the corners of the day to do his work so that he could be home or be at a [child’s] sporting event. I’ve got so much respect for that.” However, things go 50-50. Elko could manage as he had a supportive wife like Michelle, who took care of things back at home like a pro. And the head coach did not shy away from giving the love of his life due credit. Elko took to the stage on Thursday, July 17, for the SEC Media Days. “I want to start with something Commissioner Sankey said about my summer. And maybe give a lot of kudos to my wife.”
Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko arrives prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sp
Elko continued, “When I took the job at Texas A&M, my wife stayed back with our younger son, who was still finishing high school, and my daughter. And so after recruiting in June, I we went back and moved and packed the house. And I heard all the coaches before me come up and talk about the great summers they had. And mine got to spend the summer packing. And so to my wife, another apology.” This past season, Elko served in his first year as head coach of the Aggies while his family remained in Durham, North Carolina, so his son could finish his high school football career. Now, working as a team is something Elko and Michelle have picked up over the years.
Hailing from Franklinville, New Jersey, Elko’s wife was very much related to the world of sports. She played baseball for the University of Richmond. However, Michelle and Elko crossed paths much later when the now head coach was an undergraduate, and she was a freshman at Penn State. And they immediately struck chords. After dating for some time, Elko and Michelle tied the knot in 2001, post which they moved to USMMA. They eventually became the parents of three lovely kids, Kaitlyn, Andrew, and Michael. And Elko and Michelle kept changing bases, from Texas to College Station, while Michelle kept the family tight. So, Elko now thinks she deserves a present for her never-ending support.
“And just an understanding that I owe her a huge vacation next summer and and we’ll certainly get around to that. She’s the rock of our family,” the Texas A&M head coach said at the SEC Media Days. We can bet that Michelle might cheer just as loud for a CFP berth as she would if Elko handed her plane tickets to a dream vacay. But can the Aggies punch a CFP ticket?
Mike Elko’s sky-high vision amidst chaos
While Elko’s boys are yet to step onto the gridiron for teh 2025 run, the head coach is already riding high with confidence. As he said, “Where this program is going? It’s pointed to the sky. We talk about the indicators that show success. Retention is a big part of it… We are proud of keeping all of our coaches and 16 starters.” However, it’s obvious that Elko has some mess to clean up before they start things afresh in the upcoming season.
Time to brush up on the memory: the Aggies lost four of their final five games in 2024. Turns out that Elko is focusing on the root causes of the problems and came up with coaching swaps. He has demoted defensive coordinator Jay Bateman as the primary play-caller. Elko then thought of bringing in an old connection from Duke. That’s James Madison defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill. After this, Texas A&M insider Cater Karels can spot some silver lining.
As he shared, “They’re not revealing much, but I think what there is to know is that Mike Elko will be more involved. It’s going to be kind of that collaborative approach between him and Lyle and the defensive coordinator, Jay Bateman.” Now, defense is something that Elko can’t go away with duct-taping. It needs some serious repair. The Aggies ended the year ranked 91st of 134 FBS teams in pass defense, giving up an average of 232.2 yards per game. Even then. Elko did not let go of his players. Rather, he is counting on his returners like Will Lee III, Julian Humphrey, and Dezz Ricks, among others. Can Elko’s Texas A&M ride, wobbling on worn-out wheels, still cruise its way to the College Football Playoff?
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