Press Conference: Elko, Aggies have three spring practices in the books

Tuesday morning was Texas A&M's third practice as the spring football slate is now in full swing in preparation for the 2025 season. On Wednesday, Mike Elko and Rueben Owens addressed the media about the first week of spring practice.

The following are live, paraphrased notes from Mike Elko’s Wednesday afternoon media availability:

Mike Elko

• Three practices in, I am not going to make any big statements. Attitude has been great, but we have a long way to go to become the team we want to be. Excited about Pro Day tomorrow. 
   
• Marcel Reed has been good. It’s early. There is a lot to do. He has embraced the challenge of taking the next step in the program and the drop-back passing game. He wants to be able to throw the ball better. He is meeting that challenge head-on. Excited with his mindset and the way he is going.
   
• It is nice to see Rueben Owens healthy. From when he got hurt until now, the way he has attacked this thing...You see how important it is to him. He needs to get his timing. When you disappear for that long, there is a lot that goes into coming back.
   
• It's making sure we clean up expectations and the way we are teaching the defense. Making sure we identify what he needs to get this better. We spent a lot of time spatially on what we wanted to accomplish and continue to do that through spring, too. There is not a single person in the building who was excited with the way our defense played down the stretch. Though eight games, we were in a good place, but we didn't finish the way we wanted.
   
• It is an open audition for everyone to go get reps. Albert Regis and DJ Hicks have played a lot. TJ Searcy has played a lot of football at another school. It's a healthy competition. The spring is critical for us to get better at football. You can’t assume it will come naturally in the fall.
   
• If you are running a program right, you have NFL talent walk out the door, and you have to find a way to replenish or compensate. I don't know if you have those answers until you go out and play. There are kids who want to step into that spotlight.
   
• The pace of practice is better with the returners. It’s an overall understanding of doing things on a day-to-day basis to be successful.
   
• We have had one practice in helmets and one in pads. I think Reed can get to 70 percent completion. I am glad he has high goals and aspirations. Nobody is shying away from the fact that we need to get better at throwing the football.
   
• I will have a bigger role in what we at doing defensively. It's not because I don't have confidence in Jay Bateman or the coaching staff. I have the ability to help solve those. It’s not this dramatic thing.
   
• There is a need for big receivers in the goal line. Ashton Bethel-Roman and Jonah Wilson have good size. We were blessed with two tall and long tight ends.