Mike Elko arrived at Texas A&M amid a chaotic coaching search. Now, he has the Aggies on the verge of history

No. 3 Texas A&M is about to play one of the biggest games in program history on Friday as the Aggies battle No. 17 Texas. A win would send them to their first conference championship game as a member of the SEC, would punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff and cement one of the greatest seasons in the history of the program under coach Mike Elko. 

But in this moment of triumph, it's hard to forget how close this was to not happening. 

Two years ago, Texas A&M was deep in the throes of a pivotal coaching search. Weeks after handing Jimbo Fisher the biggest buyout in the history of college football, the Aggies were deep in the weeds of trying to find the next leader of the program. 

And at least according to many reports, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was set to be the hire. That is, until the Aggies' interest in Stoops leaked and all hell broke loose. It wasn't a full Greg Schiano-ing at Tennessee, but the 24-hour period was one that had long-ranging complications for both programs. Ultimately, it ended with Mike Elko landing at Texas A&M. 

"I was pursued pretty aggressively by them and we'll just leave it at that out of respect for everybody involved," Stoops said in 2024. 

Fisher was fired on Nov. 12, 2023, triggering one of the most shocking buyouts in college football history. Over his final two years after signing the No. 1 recruiting class in program history, Fisher went just 11-11 before getting terminated. The 2022 season was the program's first missed bowl game since 2008. 

Expectations at Texas A&M are high -- championship level. The program is armed with some of the greatest riches in the sport. But still, national level success slipped through their fingers. Texas A&M has not won a conference championship since 1998. 

With that in mind, the search turned to tough, culture setters. And for that reason, Stoops became a serious option. Stoops is the greatest coach at Kentucky since at least Bear Bryant. At one of the toughest jobs in college football, Stoops led the program to eight straight bowl games and a pair of 10-win seasons. 

Contrary to the public message, a source emphasized that Stoops was one of multiple finalists for the job (including Elko). Stoops' camp claimed they had a deal, even going to the point of telling close confidants that he was leaving. 

Texas A&M regent Robert Albritton told the Washington Post that he scuttled an agreed-to contract with Stoops by then-athletic director Ross Bjork. A source said that it never got that far and that the board was presented with a final list of candidates. 

"It ain't over until it's over," Bjork said at the time. "We wanted to make sure that we engaged with our final group of candidates as long as possible, right? So I don't know how all of that got out." 

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What is known for sure is this: Texas A&M fans felt Stoops had a ceiling at Kentucky, that he could win, but not win big. With Texas A&M's resources, there's plenty of reasons to believe that could change. Aggies fans didn't want to find out. 

Almost from the beginning, Elko was the sentimental choice. Elko was a former defensive coordinator under Fisher, helping to recruit and develop some of the best units in the SEC. He left to become head coach at Duke, and immediately won nine games. 

Like Stoops, Elko boasted the kind of tough, physical mentality that has always defined the best of Texas A&M. Kyle Field enjoys an offense, but the place explodes for a great, aggressive defense. And unlike Stoops, Elko knew this place. He still had great relationships and a strong reputation among fans and players, many of whom he helped recruit. 

The public leak and reckoning of Stoops' candidacy made for real complications. At midnight after the win over Louisville, Stoops sent out a tweet. He would be staying at Kentucky. The next day, Elko agreed to terms with Texas A&M. 

Elko's contract was a unique one, and certainly the type that would have been hard to pull off with a coach of Stoops' profile. Instead of dropping another monstrous Jimbo contract, Elko and Bjork agreed on one that was heavily incentive driven. Elko would earn only $7 million in base compensation, but would receive $3.5 million for winning a national championship. There were other major escalators in the contract for further levels of success. 

Texas A&M administrators loved that Elko was willing to take a prove-it contract to return to College Station. And two years later, he's proven it. 

The Aggies are 11-0 for the first time since 1992 and are in prime position to contend for a national championship. The program is No. 3 in the polls for the first time since 1995. And most importantly, the program is built in Elko's image. They're blue collar and mentally strong, a characteristic that has been missing from Aggieland since R.C. Slocum was fired 20 years ago. 

After going down 30-3 against South Carolina at halftime, the Aggies never panicked. They calmly came back out, locked down and closed the game on a 28-0 run. They've similarly handled adversity in wins against Notre Dame and Arkansas. However, Texas remains the biggest hurdle left. 

The Longhorns were picked preseason No. 1, but have limped out to an 8-3 campaign. However, they are the standard in the state after reaching consecutive national semifinals. It's the first return trip to Austin for this historic rivalry since 2010, when the Aggies shocked the Longhorns 24-17. 

A football game against Texas is more than a matchup of X's and O's. It's a test of the Aggies' resilience. And thanks to Elko emerging after 24 hours in College Station, Texas A&M is ready for its moment.