Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko was in San Antonio for his sixth Coach's Night. The defensive line was up for discussion, especially given the Aggies' need to replace 2025 NFL Draft picks Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, and Shemar Turner. Elko is confident in his defensemen, both returning and from the Transfer Portal.
Mike Elko Says Senior Defensive Lineman Albert Regis Is an Anchor for the Texas A&M Aggies originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko was in San Antonio for his sixth Coach's Night. The defensive line was up for discussion, especially given the Aggies' need to replace 2025 NFL Draft picks Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, and Shemar Turner.
Elko is confident in his defensemen, both returning and from the Transfer Portal. Talent and versatility isn't a concern for the head coach, but he expects two players to face the brunt of providing the interior pass rush and stopping the run.
"It's really exciting to have a player as talented as Albert Regis," Elko said. "He's a grown man. He's a great leader and a phenomenal player. Anchors like that matter."
He expects the senior to step up as a leader for DJ Hicks. Though Hicks played in every game in 2024 and made his first start in the Las Vegas Bowl as a sophomore, Elko wants Regis to help develop the junior as a run defender.
Regis is entering his final season with the Aggies. As a junior, he started all 13 games at defensive tackle and was third on the team and among SEC linemen with six pass breakups. He had 36 total tackles (16 solo, 20 assists) for a career-high, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries.
With Hicks and junior Rylan Kennedy unproven, Elko expects the rising senior to play near the line of scrimmage on almost every defensive snap and have a breakout season in 2025.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
