Effort, Pursuit & Ball Disruption - Pillars of a Mike Elko Defense
Jul 27, 2024 2:30 pm
Coach -
Texas A&M begins the Mike Elko era ranked #18 with high expectations for the future. Coach Elko has done an outstanding job with his defenses wherever has been and that’s what he looks to establish with the Aggies as well. We will get into his defense, but first let’s take a look at how their season shapes up.
Season Preview Capsule
Texas A&M football hasn't lived up to its potential despite significant resources. The program boasts only one double-digit win season since 1998. However, there's optimism for the future. New head coach Mike Elko, who excelled at Duke, brings a strong defensive background. The offense has firepower with a talented receiving corps and a promising quarterback. The defense boasts a dominant pass rush and a bolstered secondary through transfers. The key to success lies in the secondary's consistency. If they can improve against the pass, Texas A&M could be a force in the SEC.
Texas A&M Strengths:
Offense:
- Talented Receiving Corps: Noah Thomas, Jahdae Walker, Moose Muhammad
- Prolific Passing Attack: 69% completion rate, 8 touchdowns, 2 interceptions for QB Conner Weigman
- Strong Offensive Line: Anchored by tackles Trey Zuhn and Chase Bisontis
- Young and Explosive Backfield: Amari Daniels, Le’Veon Moss, Rueben Owens
Defense:
- Elite Pass Rush: Led by potential All-SEC transfer Nic Scourton
- Solid Interior Line: Shemar Turner and Albert Regis
- Improved Secondary: Bolstered by transfers like S Trey Jones (Central Michigan) and CB BJ Mayes (UAB)
Clinic: Developing A Championship Defense
A new look for the Aggies comes with the man in front this season as Mike Elko takes the reins of the Aggies.
After guiding basketball power Duke to a highly successful season he made the move to the SEC and a program that has all the potential to be powerful. The staple for any Elko team is going to be the defense and expect nothing less this season. Adding transfers to the defensive backfield will be a big step, but riding the waves of the Elko teachings that have proved tried and true through his defensive coaching tenure will be the staple of this team. Let’s take a look at each pillar of Elko’s defense.
Pursuit
Regardless of program or what you may believe at the end of the day, effort and pursuit of the football will wear any offense down. The more you seem to blanket the ball and swarm whichever direction it moves the better off you will always be. An understanding that the effort you put in on every play will slowly wear them down and that is really the epitome of more pursuit. Because as the pursuit increases from your 11 defenders the opportunities to generate plays do as well.
Video: Pursuit
Ball Disruption
The more defenders you have in the area the higher the likelihood one can disrupt the ball forcing a fumble or any other variety of play. This also means a higher likelihood you have someone in the area to recover the ball as well. It all relates back to the pursuit of football; without it you have nothing or very little.
Placing an emphasis on these in steps allows for the training to only increase on creating these negative explosive plays. Once they begin to happen the ball starts rolling also.
Video: Ball Disruption
These opportunities then start translating to regular game play. We see opportunities then within our normal techniques and within normal situations. The disruption and effort is contagious. This then creates situations where you can focus on the tomahawk technique.
Video: Tomahawk Drill
Texas A&M is a team that will have a different energy this year under Elko and things could get really interesting in the SEC should we see this team catch some momentum.
-Coach Grabowski and the CoachesClinic Team
Other Clinics from the Texas A&M Staff:
Mike Elko - Developing A Championship Defense
Jay Bateman - 3rd Down Defense
2024 COOL Clinic - Adam Cushing Pin & Pull
Adam Cushing - Creating a Consistent Offensive Lineman
Adam Cushing-Creating Culture:Clarify,Simplify,What Does This Make Possible
Culture and Leadership with Adam Cushing
WR Fundamentals/RPOs - Holmon Wiggins
Save With These Bundles:
2024 Ultimate Defensive Coordinator School - a comprehensive resource for DCs