Duke Hires Texas A&M Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko

Duke hired Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko to be the Blue Devils football coach.

Duke announced on Friday that the program has hired Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko as the 22nd Blue Devils football coach. 

Elko—who has 23 years of coaching experience—replaces David Cutcliffe, who served as Duke's head coach for 14 years. Elko spent 18 years as a defensive coordinator including eight years at Power 5 programs. 

He joins Duke after serving as defensive coordinator for the Aggies, Notre Dame and Wake Forest. Elko was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award (2017 and '21), given to the nation's top assistant coach. 

"I want to thank and President Price for this great opportunity," Elko said in a release. "Duke stands for excellence. The university has excelled in everything they've ever tried to do, whether that'd be in academics or athletics. I'm excited to get to work."

The 44-year-old has coached in eight bowl games, led two different teams to the NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinal appearances and appeared on four league championship teams. 

With the Aggies under Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, Elko guided the Aggies to a 34–14 record and four consecutive bowl games. This season, he led an Aggies defense that finished third in FBS in scoring defense (allowing 15.92 points per game), ninth in pass efficiency (112.0), seventh in red-zone defense (.710). 

Elko spent three seasons (2014 to '16) at Notre Dame where he served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. In 2016, he helped the Fighting Irish defense rank in the top-20 nationally in fumbles, forced turnovers, sacks, defensive touchdowns, red-zone defense and scoring defense.