Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Hometown:
- South Brunswick, New Jersey
- Alma Mater:
- Penn '99
THE ELKO FILE
PERSONAL
- Born: July 28, 1977
- Hometown: South Brunswick, N.J.
- Wife: Michelle
- Children: Michael, Andrew, Kaitlyn
- College: Penn, 1999
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
- 1995-98: Penn
COACHING EXPERIENCE
- 1999: Stony Brook (GA/Inside Linebackers)
- 2000: Penn (Defensive Backs)
- 2001: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (DC/DBs)
- 2002: Fordham (Linebackers)
- 2003: Fordham (co-DC/Linebackers)
- 2004: Richmond (LBs/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2005: Richmond (ST/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2006: Hofstra (DC/DBs)
- 2007: Hofstra (DC/Linebackers)
- 2008: Hofstra (AHC/DC/Linebackers)
- 2009-11: Bowling Green (DC/Linebackers)
- 2012-13: Bowling Green (DC/Safeties)
- 2014-16: Wake Forest (DC/Safeties)
- 2017: Notre Dame (DC)
- 2018-21: Texas A&M (DC/Safeties)
- 2022-23: Duke (Head Coach)
- 2024-pres.: Texas A&M (Head Coach)
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
- 2002: NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinals (Fordham)
- 2005: NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinals (Richmond)
- 2009: Humanitarian (Bowling Green)
- 2012: Military (Bowling Green)
- 2013: Little Caesars (Bowling Green)
- 2016: Military (Wake Forest)
- 2017: Citrus (Notre Dame)
- 2018: Gator (Texas A&M)
- 2019: Texas (Texas A&M)
- 2020: Orange (Texas A&M)
- 2021: Gator (Texas A&M - DNC)
- 2022: Military (Duke)
- 2023: Birmingham (Duke - DNC)
- 2024: Las Vegas Bowl (Texas A&M)
- 2025: College Football Playoff (Texas A&M)
- 2022: ACC Coach of the Year (Duke)
Mike Elko was named the head football coach at Texas A&M University on Nov. 27, 2023, returning to Aggieland after spending two seasons as head coach at Duke University, where he earned 2022 ACC Coach of the Year honors.
With more than two decades of coaching experience, Elko has participated in 10 bowl games, been part of four conference championship teams, helped two programs reach the NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinals and guided Texas A&M to its first College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance. His bowl resume includes the 2009 Humanitarian, 2012 and 2016 Military, 2013 Little Caesars, 2017 Citrus, 2018 Gator, 2019 Texas, 2020 Orange, 2022 Military and 2024 Las Vegas Bowls.
In his first two seasons at Texas A&M, Elko produced the second-best two-year start (19-7) by a head coach in program history, trailing only Kevin Sumlin’s 20-6 mark. That stretch marked the 13th time the Aggies recorded 19-plus wins in consecutive seasons and the first since 2012-13. During that span, Texas A&M scored a league-best 62 touchdowns in SEC games and was the only SEC team to both pass and rush for more than 3,000 yards in conference play. The Aggies also entered the final week of the regular season battling for an SEC championship game berth in consecutive seasons under Elko.
In 2025, Elko led Texas A&M to an 11-2 record and its first CFP appearance, securing the program’s first 10-plus win season in more than a decade. He became the third Aggie head coach to open a season with 11 consecutive victories, joining National Football Foundation Hall of Famers R.C. Slocum and Homer Norton. The Aggies’ 11 regular-season wins were the second-most in school history and marked the program’s 13th double-digit win campaign.
The 2025 Aggies ranked among the nation’s top 20 in numerous statistical categories, including leading the country in third-down defense (.229). Texas A&M also finished second nationally in sacks (3.31), third in tackles for loss (8.5) and tackles for loss allowed (3.31), ninth in fourth-down conversion percentage (.706), 14th in passing yards per completion (13.62) and time of possession (32:30), 16th in passing yards allowed (176.6), 18th in total defense (307.4) and 19th in scoring offense (33.8).
In Elko’s first season back in College Station, the Aggies reeled off seven consecutive wins, including victories over top-10 opponents No. 9 Missouri and No. 8 LSU, after dropping its opening game of the year against eventual national runner-up Notre Dame. Texas A&M capped the season with its 44th bowl appearance in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against Southern California.
Prior to returning to Texas A&M, Elko spent two seasons (2022-23) rebuilding Duke and compiling a 16-9 (.563) record with consecutive bowl appearances (2022 Military and 2023 Birmingham). He mentored 14 All-ACC selections, including two-time honorees Graham Barton and DeWayne Carter, who were selected in the first and third rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills, respectively.
In 2022, Duke fielded one of the nation’s top rushing defenses and offensive lines. The Blue Devils allowed just 120.9 rushing yards per game and 10 rushing touchdowns, making them the only ACC team to surrender 10 or fewer rushing scores. Offensively, Duke ranked 12th among Power 5 programs in sacks allowed (1.31) and tied for seventh nationally in tackles for loss allowed (51.0).
The 2023 season saw Duke open 4-0, highlighted by a 28-7 win over then-No. 9 Clemson. Despite injuries, the Blue Devils finished 7-5 and again featured a top-18 Power 5 offensive line in sacks and tackles for loss allowed, while the defense ranked 16th nationally, allowing just 19.0 points per game.
Elko previously spent four seasons (2018-21) as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher, helping guide the Aggies to a 34-14 (.708) record and four consecutive bowl appearances. In his final season, Texas A&M ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (15.92), No. 7 in red zone defense (.710) and No. 9 in pass efficiency defense (112.00).
Before his first stint in College Station, Elko served as defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame in 2017, helping the Irish to a 10-3 record and a 21-17 victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl.
He also spent three seasons (2014-16) working alongside Dave Clawson at Wake Forest as defensive coordinator and safeties coach, mentoring All-ACC selection and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Jessie Bates III.
Prior to that, Elko served five seasons as defensive coordinator at Bowling Green (2009-13), helping the Falcons to three bowl appearances and guiding defenses that led the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and pass-efficiency defense in each of his final two seasons.
His coaching resume also includes stops at Hofstra University (2006-08), University of Richmond (2004-05) and Fordham University (2002-03), as well as one-year stints at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (2001) and the University of Pennsylvania (2000). Elko began his coaching career at Stony Brook University in 1999.
A native of South Brunswick, N.J., Elko earned his bachelor’s degree in history from the Penn in 1999. A safety for the Quakers, he helped Penn win the 1998 Ivy League championship.
Elko is married to the former Michelle Madison of Franklinville, N.J., and they are the parents of three children Michael, Andrew and Kaitlyn. Michael is a member of the baseball program at the University of Richmond.
