Getty Image / Jeffrey Vest
Texas A&M is hoping they finally have hired the coach that can help that program fulfills its massive potential in Mike Elko. But, the university seems determined to not let the insane buyout language that will force them to pay fired coach Jimbo Fisher over $70 million, and has loaded the new contract with incentives.
Take a look at this sheet, which was distributed at the introductory press conference for Coach Elko on Monday.
Texas A&M just announced Mike Elko’s MOU terms. He signed a six-year deal through Jan. 31, 2030 with an annual base salary of $7 million and a salary pool of $11 million.
The incentives are on another level. pic.twitter.com/oo8hbbcs7J
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) November 27, 2023
Karels clarified that these incentives are not cumulative. So, if he wins the SEC and the national title in the same year, he would just get that top line number.
Let’s dig into these incentives. First off, the base salary of $7,000,000 is pretty good, but that would put him in the bottom of the top 20 of coach salaries in 2023. Jimbo Fisher was making over 9 million.
Now, $7 million is still a lot of money, obviously. And, with $11 million for staff and support personnel, he should be able to bring in a top-level staff, as well. Ace recruiter Elijah Robinson is expected to stay on as defensive coordinator, and Elko will likely bring some guys with him, as well.
Mike Elko was the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M from 2018-2021 prior to his hiring as the head coach at Duke. There, he went an impressive 16-9 in two seasons at a place known for bad football and good hoops.
Texas A&M was 7-5 this year, and fired Jimbo Fisher after ten games.