Texas A&M coach Mike Elko expressed regret Monday for comments he made after the Aggies lost 27-6 to No. 14 Missouri, in which he referred to the website Tex Ags and a portion of the fanbase as a "cesspool." Asked what he would tell worried fans, Elko said there is a difference between the fanbase and social media, pointing to Billy Liucci, executive editor and co-owner of Tex Ags. "There's one group that I really don't care much about. Billy's cesspool can go be Billy's cesspool," he said, urging the fanbase to stay behind the team.
On Monday, with Liucci in attendance at his weekly news conference, Elko said the comment was made in the heat of the moment and came across in a way he regrets. "I regret the way it was taken. I regret the way it came out. I regret the way it ran," he said. He added that he has a tremendous relationship with Liucci and that he takes full responsibility for the team's struggles: "I am the reason why this team is struggling."
Tex Ags, an independent fan site founded in 1997, is the largest provider of daily Texas A&M athletics coverage and partners with the university on NIL opportunities. Liucci had responded on X that calling out a large portion of the fanbase was a "wildly unnecessary misstep."
The Aggies (3-3, 1-3 SEC) were ranked No. 8 in the preseason AP Top 25 after an 11-2 season and a College Football Playoff appearance in Elko's second year. However, losses to Kentucky, LSU and Missouri, along with persistent offensive struggles, have jeopardized those ambitions. Elko also handed defensive playcalling duties to coordinator Lyle Hemphill after the 35-6 loss at LSU. Texas A&M faces FCS opponent The Citadel on Saturday before a road test against No. 6 Alabama on Oct. 24.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing