The Mike Elko Era Has Officially Begun in Aggieland

With the loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Texas Bowl, the Mike Elko is officially underway for the Texas A&M Aggies.

The Jimbo Fisher era is officially, finally, over. 

It was a long winding road filled with frustration, heartbreak and disappointment. 

But now, following the Texas A&M Aggies 31-23 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium, it is time to turn the page to Mike Elko. 

Was the bowl loss ideal? No. But more importantly, will it affect the Aggies' momentum going forward?

Also no.

And that's good for Texas A&M. The Aggies have been decimated by transfers, injuries and NFL declarations to the point where they had just 55 scholarship players available on Wednesday night. 

But none of that matters anymore. Elko can fix that. And truthfully, he already has. 

Elko was able to hold together, for the most part, a solid recruiting class that ranked in the top 12 in the country - something that is critical for a new head coach coming into a program in transition.

He was also able to add some under-the-radar transfer additions, and - more importantly - keep key foundational players like Jacoby Mathews, Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Bryce Anderson and Kam Dewberry from leaving the program via the transfer portal.

Did they lose a few good ones? Absolutely, but it could have been much worse. 

Aggies Fall Short in Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State

Now, Elko really gets to get to work. He will get his own staff in the building, and after a short break, will be able to finally get hands-on with his roster, and begin instilling his tough-minded culture into a program that is in need of a desperate shift. 

You could see shades of what could be on Wednesday night with the way the Aggies battled back from what could have easily been a blowout. 

It may take some time - maybe a long time - but as we have seen in today's college football, change can happen quickly. 

Maybe the Aggies continue to hit the transfer portal and find some immediate difference-makers. Maybe they finish the recruiting class even stronger by holding on to names like Terry Bussey and Dominick McKinley. 

Either way, the Aggies are now free with their fresh start. 

And given what Elko showed he was capable of during his time at Duke, if Texas A&M fans are patient, a couple of years from now, they will look back with a smile.