“People are jealous!” Aggies coach Mike Elko speaks out against critics of Texas A&M

“We have to focus on us,” Elko said Friday at the Houston Texas A&M Club. “We've spent a lot of time chasing things and people. We just have to focus on Texas A&M and becoming the absolute best version of Texas A&M and being proud of who we are. Because people are jealous of us.”

So what exactly are people jealous of in Elko's eyes? Not necessarily what you might initially think.

Elko is not necessarily referring to national or conference titles or success on the field.

Instead, he points to the close ties of Aggies alumni and their influence on the community and the state of Texas – things he believes have been shaped by the school's spirit and its quirky traditions.

And for Elko, all the noise from outside comes from there.

“People are jealous of how many Aggies can come together and support each other, how Aggies take care of Aggies,” Elko said. “What our people do in the community, what our people do in the state of Texas. The spirit that our university brings together in its alumni base. People are jealous of that and that's why they make fun of it.”

For some programs or universities, outside noise could weaken or distract them. For others, it could cause division or chaos.

But instead of fighting it, Elko believes Aggies everywhere should embrace it and use it to their advantage moving forward.

“I just think we have to accept that,” Elko said. “We have to accept that we are good enough, and the best version of us is good enough to be where we want to be.”