Texas A&M HC Mike Elko & Longhorns' Sarkisian slam proposed June signing period out of fear of reclassification and developmental setbacks

Texas A&M's Mike Elko and Texas Longhorns' Steve Sarkisian are strongly against a new proposal to move the Early Signing Period for college recruiting from December to June. During the THSCA Press Conference in San Antonio, Elko made his stance clear:

“I am 1,000% opposed to that."

(from 6:09 mark onwards)

He further said that he believes setting a summer signing date might encourage more students to reclassify and graduate high school early:

“When we moved the signing date to December, now 80 percent of the kids enroll in the Spring. If you project that out and move the signing date to June, I think over the course of three, four, five years, you are going to start having 50, 60, 70 percent of the kids reclassifying,” he added.

The Aggies kick off their season hosting Notre Dame at Kyle Field on Aug. 31. Meanwhile, Texas Longhorns’ head coach Steve Sarkisian also criticized the proposed June signing period, fearing it would lead to reclassification and hinder player development (via Sports Illustrated):

"I’m a little bit more hesitant maybe than others to have a signing date in the summer when you are not giving kids the chance to play their senior year of high school football. I think you learn a lot about players their senior year," Sarkisian said.

"Development is so critical from ninth grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, 12th grade,” he added. “Sometimes we're passing judgment on kids coming off a junior year, and sometimes even in his junior year maybe he was injured. How do you pull all that together? I think there's an avenue we can get done," he added.

Sarkisian further said that he prefers the current calendar with the signing period in early December, followed by the transfer portal:

“I kind of like the calendar that we’re having this year, with that signing period in early December and then you get into the portal. I still think we’re protecting the high school player," Sarkisian said.

"Last year, the high school player was not protected, where the signing date was in the middle of December and the portal opened and some schools were dropping high school kids because they were taking the portal kid, he added.

A coaching shake-up hits Texas A&M’s Mike Elko

Joe Hamilton, who was Texas A&M’s assistant GM, is reportedly set to leave to join the Florida Gators staff ahead of the 2024 season. Hamilton had a hand in securing Texas A&M’s impressive seventh-ranked 2025 recruiting class.

Meanwhile, in his recent press conference, coach Elko emphasized the importance of collaborating with Texas high school coaches to keep local talent in the state.