Texas A&M football’s coaching staff will look very different in 2026, as head coach Mike Elko was tasked with replacing offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who departed to take over as Kansas State’s head coach, while defensive coordinator Jay Bateman left Kentucky in a lateral move, but will now call defensive plays for the Wildcats next season.
With Mike Elko calling defensive plays, his decision to elevate defensive assistant Lyle Hemphill, who served as James Madison’s defensive coordinator during the 2024 season, was simply a no-brainer, as both coaches are on the same page scheme-wise, while Hemphill’s background in the secondary led to the Aggies’ pass defense improving last season.
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On offense, Collin Klein was replaced by wide receiver coach Holmon Wiggins, which was surprising for some, but made sense given the his role as co-offensive coordinator in 2025, combined with his work in developing wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, who combined for 1,836 yards and 13 touchdowns this past season, resulted in his elevevation as the teams new offensive coordinator.
Lacking experience as a playcaller, Elko reportedly added former Coastal Carolina offensive coordinator Drew Hollingshead as an offensive assistant, paired with new quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch, who served in Hollingshead’s new role last season. Wiggins is well-equipped to take on his new role with plenty of veteran voices to help him assimilate.
These are just several of the new and returning names that make up Texas A&M’s 2026 coaching staff, and while Elko may not be finished, here are our initial grades for the offensive and defensive staff at its current state.
Offense
Texas A&M’s 2026 offensive coaching staff:
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Offensive coordinator: Holmon Wiggins
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Associate head coach/running backs coach: Trooper Taylor
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Offensive line/run-game coordinator: Adam Cushing
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Quarterbacks coach: Joey Lynch
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Wide receivers coach: John Perry
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Tight ends coach: Derek Shay
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Offensive analysts: Wisly Desire, Deveonte Mackey, Drew Hollingshead
It’s hard to give this group a grade higher than a B- or B at this point, given the unknowns, especially Holmon Wiggins. While this is certainly a risk, Mike Elko likely feels that the returning talent on offense, especially Marcel Reed and Mario Craver, will help his transition into the role.
However, quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch, who was a controversial hire for most of the fan base, will be the man in charge of helping Marcel Reed fix his remaining issues this offseason, as both of Texas A&M’s losses were in the biggest games of the season against Texas on the road and Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Trooper Taylor and Adam Cushing are two of the most dependable coaches on staff, and new WR coach John Perry brings a wealth of college and NFL experience to the role. Lastly, tight ends coach Derek Shay’s impact remains to be seen, while all three offensive assistants, especially Hollingshead, bring plenty of insight to the table.
Grade: B
Defense
Texas A&M’s defensive coaching staff
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Defensive coordinator: Lyle Hemphill
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Associate head coach/Linebackers coach: Travis Williams
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Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach: Elijah Robinson
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Defensive line coach: Tony Jerod-Eddie
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Cornerbacks coach: Bryant Gross-Armiente
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Nickels coach: Paul Williams
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Defensive backs coach: Ishmael Aristide
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Defensive ends coach: Stan Watson
Mike Elko made the right decision in elevating Nickels’ coach, Bryant Gross-Armiente, as the team’s cornerbacks coach, given his importance as a recruiter, while his development background in his previous position helped senior Tyreek Chappell develop into one of the top nickels in the SEC.
As I stated above, Lyle Hemphill was a defensive coordinator in the making, and to make his transition that much easier, Elko brought back ace recruiter and defensive line coach Elijah Robinson to join Tony Jerod-Eddie, and, as of this week, will reportedly hire former Stanford defensive backs coach Paul Williams as the new nickels coach.
New linebackers coach Travis Williams served as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator from 2023-2025, bringing in valuable experience, and will serve as one of three assistant head coaches next season. Williams will inherit a new linebacker rotation with transfer Ray Coney set to replace Taurean York, and he will be tasked with improving the run defense, which struggled due to a lack of size, a gap Coney should address.
Overall, this coaching staff appears improved in several areas, and given Hemphill’s experience as a defensive coordinator and playcaller, I don’t see any issues with his transition.
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Grade: A
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Grading Texas A&M’s 2026 offensive and defensive coaching staff
