Texas A&M Coach Mike Elko Sees 'Critical Role' For Aggies 5-Star Freshman Terry Bussey

Freshman phenom Terry Bussey was one of the biggest gets for the Texas A&M Aggies this offseason, and according to head coach Mike Elko, he will play a big role from Day 1.

Jul 18, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS - The Texas A&M Aggies are getting set for fresh start under new head coach Mike Elko.

During his first six months on the job, Elko has transformed the Aggies program, establishing a new culture, and bringing in more than 40 new players via the NCAA Transfer Portal and the 2024 recruiting cycle.

And while a number of those players are expected to have major impacts, there might not be a more anticipated debut than that of five-star freshman phenom Terry Bussey.

"Terry was a huge get for us. Mr. Texas. And so getting him down to College Station was huge. Obviously he's a tremendous athlete," Aggies head coach Mike Elko said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. "We think he has a really bright present and future. He's extremely young. And he still hasn't actually had an official Texas A&M football practice. We're excited for him."

Terry Bussey /

So just how good is Bussey? Well, he is as decorated as they come at the high school level. In 2021, he won the District 10-2A offensive MVP award as a freshman and was named second-team all-state on both sides of the ball. The next year as a sophomore, he was named the 10-2A overall MVP.

But it was in 2023 that he truly exploded onto the scene, being named Mr. Football for the state of Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. He then capped off his career by leading his school to a state title as a senior, scoring 47 total touchdowns for the season despite missing a good portion of it due to injury.

That is quite the resumé.

That said, there are still a number of questions surrounding Bussey. Most notably, where and when he will make his debut on the roster. After all, in theory, they could put him almost anywhere on the field and he would find success.

But it appears that Elko is narrowing in on a decision, and Bussey will start out on the defensive side of the ball, as well as in the return game.

"I think he's going to start on defense," Elko said. "But I do think everyone is aware that he has the flexibility to help us in a lot of ways. His ability in the return game is something we want to look to take advantage of. We certainly see him developing and playing a critical role for us, not only this year but in the years to come."

As for how soon fans will get to see Bussey, that much is still unclear.

However, against a team like Notre Dame in the season opener, the Aggies likely won't hesitate to pull out all the stops - including the freshman phenom.