Texas A&M football got back in the win column with a 41-0 shutout of The Citadel on Saturday, but the end of the Aggies' non-conference slate marks the beginning of a challenging stretch of SEC matchups.
That starts this week, as Texas A&M enters Bryant-Denny Stadium to face No. 13 Alabama — the first contest against the Crimson Tide under head coach Mike Elko. In his third year at the helm in College Station, Elko boasts a 4-3 overall record and a 1-3 mark in conference play.
The Aggies' performance thus far has been underwhelming, but things could begin to turn around if they secure a road win against one of the most talented teams in the SEC.
Here is everything Elko said during Monday's press conference ahead of Texas A&M's road showdown against Alabama in Week 8:
Elko's thoughts on his team's performance against The Citadel
"We handled the game the way we wanted to. We were able to get done what we wanted to get done, and now it's back to SEC play this week," Elko said.
Elko on what it will take to knock off No. 13 Alabama on the road
"As we've talked about trying to play our way out of this, it's about trying to find ways to create early success and also our ability and need to react," Elko said. "To get a win against a really good team on the road, you have to make big plays early, but you also have to overcome failures… It takes three-and-a-half hours of battling the ebbs and flows."
Elko on the Aggies' approach moving forward
"It's head down, one day at a time. That's where we are as a program right now. That's where we got to a while ago," Elko said. "Head down, get better today, attack today. That's our approach right now."
Elko's evaluation of sophomore wide receiver TK Norman
"He's a kid who is getting more and more comfortable with what it takes to be a wideout in this conference and at this level. It's starting to translate into his play a little bit," Elko said.
Elko's thoughts on the playoff expansion
"I've been pretty clear on my thoughts on that. That's not a decision I get to make," Elko said. "I hope we're doing right by valuing the regular season. That's what makes this sport special."
Elko's evaluation of Russell
"Really special player. Obviously familiar with him all the way back to recruiting," Elko said. "He's having a really special year and can attack you in a variety of ways. He has been a really huge weapon for them this year."
Elko's response to a question regarding Ashton Bethel-Roman's status
"No update," Elko said.
Elko on what Texas A&M's defense has done well this season
"We had two bad games in back-to-back weeks. Outside of that, when we function and play the way we're capable of, we're a good unit. We've gotten more consistent over the last couple of weeks," Elko said. "When we play consistently the way we're capable of, we've played solid defense at times."
More thoughts on the 24-team playoff
"So much of college football is about those really meaningful games, and it doesn't take much to draw conclusions about what those games will look like. You worry about where this thing could go as you see what Week 17 in the NFL is like," Elko said.
Elko on how the Aggies need to work on moving forward
"We've got to continue to find ways to get creative to disrupt the quarterback. That's really, really important in how the game unfolds," Elko said.
Elko's thoughts on the performances from the young stars on the team
"We have some talented freshmen that are starting to get a little more comfortable, a little more situated and are starting to earn more and more opportunities," Elko said. "They've got a ton of energy and a ton of energy in practice. It's starting to translate into games."
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'It's head down, one day at a time': Texas A&M HC previews Alabama