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Mike Elko Comments on Texas A&M Aggies' Jahdae Walker Suspension

The Texas A&M Aggies will be without one of their top receivers for the first half vs. South Carolina.

Matt Galatzan

Sep 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) celebrates with Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Jahdae Walker (9) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Sep 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) celebrates with Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Jahdae Walker (9) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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The Texas A&M Aggies earned a huge win last week vs. No. 8 LSU.

But that win did not come without cost.

Early in the fourth quarter vs. the Tigers, Aggies wide receiver Jahdae Walker was called for a targeting penalty while attempting to block on a run play. That call was eventually upheld, leading to a 15-yard penalty and Walker's ejection.

However, because of when the penalty occurred, Walker will now also be forced to miss the first half of this Saturday's matchup vs. the South Carolina Gamecocks.

And while many might argue that the play should not have been targeting - or even a penalty - Aggies head coach Mike Elko was clear to point out that those types of calls are now part of the game, and the team needs to learn to adjust.

"As much as defensive players have had to learn a different way to play football, there is a piece of it too that offensive players have to learn a different way," Elko said. "It is a part of the game nowadays with what we are trying to get accomplished for player safety. It is what it is. It is one of those things in regards to targeting. We just have to do a better job of getting our kids to understand the right way to manage and handle those situations."

As for how the Aggies will replace Walker in the first half, they will have no shortage of options.

Texas A&M will still have their top three receivers Noah Thomas, Cyrus Allen, and Jabre Barber ready to line up with whichever quarterback gets the start.

More importantly, Mike Elko is confident in those players and their ability to step up.

"You just ask guys in and around the room to step up," Elko said. "Certainly, we have rotated a lot of guys at the wide receiver position all year. We have guys that will be ready to step up this week."

The Aggies and Gamecocks kick off at 6:30 PM on ABC.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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