Mike Elko feels Texas A&M is 'in a pretty good place' with replacing Collin Klein as offensive coordinator

The Texas A&M Aggies are preparing for their first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff, and that’s where head coach Mike Elko wants to be able to focus. It’s just a bit more of a challenge when the team lost offensive coordinator Collin Klein in the process.

Finding a way to replace Klein will be a tall task. However, it’s one that Elko feels he should be up to in the coming weeks.

“I think we’re in a pretty good place with it,” Mike Elko said. “I think our intentions right now are to try to get through the season and let that thing play out. But I think we’re in a really good place with knowing which direction we want to go with that.”

Collin Klein had been the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M since 2024. Prior to that, he had been a longtime assistant at Kansas State, including acting as the team’s offensive coordinator there. Of course, in his own playing days, he had been a star player at quarterback for the Wildcats. So, it’s no surprise he jumped at the chance to return home and become a head coach.

Now, the plan is for Klein to split his time with both schools while Texas A&M makes its run in the College Football Playoff. That, as Elko would also explain, is going to force the offensive gameplan to become more collaborative than it had been in the past this season.

“One, it’s probably a lot more collaborative to begin with,” Elko said. “Collin’s not the only one, obviously. I think it’s a very collaborative process that we go through on offense. I have a ton of confidence in Collin, in who he is as a man and who he is as a competitor, that he’ll give the focus and energy that he needs to ensure that this thing is done the right way and finished the right way. And so I have no questions about that. I think all in, we’ll be able to manage this thing pretty well.”

This season, Texas A&M had the 20th-ranked total offense, averaging 454.4 yards per game. The Aggies are also 14th in scoring offense, averaging 36.3 points per game. This has coincided with the emergence of Marcel Reed as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

Texas A&M will open the College Football Playoff at home on Saturday, December 20th. There, the Aggies will host the Miami Hurricanes.