Press Conference: Elko, Ags grinding through final week of spring ball

On Thursday afternoon, Texas A&M will hold its 13th spring practice, and on Saturday, the Aggies will take to Kyle Field for the 2025 Maroon & White Game. On Wednesday, Mike Elko, Ar'maj Reed-Adams and Taurean York addressed the media to provide another spring update.

The following are live, paraphrased notes from the Wednesday afternoon media availability:

Mike Elko

• A big weekend in Aggieland. I have a lot of shoutouts. For Michael Earley and that tremendous comeback on Saturday. Trisha Ford and the softball team, congratulations to them on being No. 1. Mark Weaver’s girls won another SEC title. We are two scrimmages in and into the final part of spring ball. Hopefully, Saturday will be a great environment.
   
• I think you are always evaluating where you are. Adding to add is never a good sign. We are not in that position. In this day and age, you have to be looking to add value to your program.
   
• The portal windows are the evil of college football. I don't necessarily agree with it. I think it's pulling back on the quality of the game. You have to manage it to the best of your ability.
   
• In large, our program has taken a step forward. I feel like we a crisper, sharper, and there are fewer issues. It's still not perfect. That continues to be the driving point for spring.
   
• You should ask Marcel Reed how I would handle a situation like Nico Iamaleava. We are all on the same page.
   
• Everyone believes the NIL system is not working. I think I heard Kirby Smart say in terms of long-term ramifications, we will be embarrassed by this.
   
• There are so many ways this can be looked at. You are dealing with a world where no one knows the rules. You are trying to manage it through that. Until there is clarity on where this is going, we will live in that world. That clarity won't come with the House settlement. It will start the process.
   
• We follow the same game rules in the spring game. It's important for the kids. That's the reward we give them. We allow them to draft the teams. This is the cherry on top of the spring ball.
   
• The challenge for Reed is that he wants to take the next steps as a passer, but you are not doing that at the expense of creating plays. It's finding that balance of him playing the way that is most successful for him. I thought he had his best scrimmage the other day.
   
• No one will notice anything looking very different. It will all look similar to last year.
   
• I guarantee I will come out of the spring game unsatisfied. As the head coach, you want it to look clean. I think we have taken steps in playing clean football on both sides of the ball. 
   
• It seems like the free agency model that the professional organizations use works. It seems college football is the only group that doesn't work like that.