Texas A&M Coach Apologizes for Calling Fanbase a 'Cesspool'

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has apologized for comments made after his team's loss to Missouri, during which he referred to a segment of the fanbase as a "cesspool." The remarks came after the Aggies fell to 3-3 on the season with a 27-6 defeat.

During a postgame press conference, Elko was asked about his message to concerned fans. He responded by singling out Billy Liucci, executive editor and co-owner of TexAgs, an independent fan site. "There's one group that I really don't care much about. Billy's cesspool can go be Billy's cesspool," Elko stated, before adding, "Our fanbase: Stay with us, be behind us, we're going to build something that we told you we were going to build. We're in a really bad spot right now, but we'll work our way out of it."

Elko addressed the controversy at his weekly news conference on Monday, with Liucci present. He described the comment as something he "certainly regret" and attributed it to the emotion of the moment. "I regret the way it was taken. I regret the way it came out. I regret the way it ran," Elko said. He emphasized that his intention was never to blame the fans and reiterated his responsibility for the team's struggles.

"I am the reason why this team is struggling. I have owned that since this has started. I continue to own that. It's my job to figure out how to get it better," Elko stated.

Liucci had previously responded on X (formerly Twitter), calling Elko's comments "a wildly unnecessary misstep" for singling out a large portion of the fanbase, described as both loyal and frustrated.

The Texas A&M Aggies, who were ranked No. 8 in the preseason AP Top 25, are now unranked. They have lost all three of their SEC games this season against Kentucky, LSU, and Missouri. This marks a significant decline after their 11-2 record last season, which led to their first College Football Playoff appearance under Elko in his second year.