"You can take nothing for granted": CFB insider gives harsh reality check to Mike Elko's Texas A&M following KC Concepcion's $2.5 million NIL deal

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko will enter his second year with the program in the 2025 season. The Aggies have made some key transfers this offseason to bolster their roster, including splashing $2.5 million in NIL money to land wideout KC Concepcion from NC State.

While many have weighed in on Concepcion's transfer to Texas A&M, analyst RJ Young issued a reality check to Elko about his offense.

"You're talking about trying to play for a championship this year, I don't know that this is the team to do it," Young said on his "Adapt & Respond" show on Thursday (6:10). "And some of that's got everything to do with (quarterback) Marcel Reid, right? Like, I think if Marcel Reed develops into a Heisman-caliber quarterback, we're having a different discussion.

"But for him to develop into a Heisman-caliber quarterback, I need to see a 3,500-yard passer and at least 700 yards on the ground, maybe 1,000. If I get a 3,000, 1,000 year out of Marcel Reed, we're talking about a top 10 team here, it's that simple."

"So, how good do you expect Marcel Reid to be? Is he going to perform? How good (wideout) Le'Veon Moss is, how good (running back) Ruebens Owens is, how good KC Concepcion is. But again, it's the SEC, and we know that because it's the SEC, you can take nothing for granted in as far as what your schedule is, because even the bad teams are still not that bad."

Young went on to explain that if the Aggies want to make it to the College Football Playoff, they need to beat most of the competitive teams in the SEC.

Concepcion played two seasons at NC State before transferring to Texas A&M. During his two years with the Wolfpack, the wideout recorded 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns on 124 receptions, while contributing 356 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries across 25 games.

Concepcion, who won the ACC Rookie of the Year award in 2023, is expected to play a critical role in the Aggies' offense in his first year with the program.

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Mike Elko's Texas A&M find out timings/TV schedule for for 2025 season

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko - Source: Imagn

Mike Elko's Texas A&M has a challenging 2025 schedule. The Aggies released the timings and TV schedule for their 12 regular-season games on Wednesday

Here's a look at Texas A&M's schedule for the upcoming season.

• Aug. 30: vs. UTSA (6 p.m. on ESPN)
• Sept. 6: vs. Utah State (11:45 a.m. on SEC Network)
• Sept. 13: at Notre Dame (6:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock)
• Sept. 20: OFF
• Sept. 27: vs. Auburn (Afternoon)
• Oct. 4: vs. Mississippi State (Night)
• Oct. 11: vs. Florida (Flex)
• Oct. 18: at Arkansas (Flex)
• Oct. 25: at LSU (Flex)
• Nov. 1: OFF
• Nov. 8: at Missouri (Flex)
• Nov. 15: vs. South Carolina (Early)
• Nov. 22: vs. Samford (11 a.m. on ESPN+/SECN+)
• Nov. 28: at Texas (6:30 p.m. on ABC)

Mike Elko led Texas A&M to an 8-5 record in his first season at the helm in 2024. It will be interesting to see if the Aggies can post double-digit wins in 2025.