"We talked about this as a team on Monday: healthy competition creates growth in everyone. The idea that I'm a little nervous that if I don't do this to my best ability that someone might get to do it for me, I think is a small motivational factor for everyone," he said.

Elko said there would be an emphasis on getting the players familiar with the new offensive and defensive schemes, but they would be challenged with other changes as well.

""Across the board as a program, we want to focus on developing our football IQ. We have got to be come a smarter, more intelligent football program," he said.

Not everyone will get a chance to show what they can do on the football field. Elko said defensive tackle Shemar Turner, offensive linemen Aki Ogunbiyi and Kam Dewberry, tight end Donovan Green and Enai White will be "very limited" in spring practice as they continue to recover from injuries suffered last year.

Another player still on the mend is quarterback Conner Weigman, who broke his ankle in A&M's conference-opening win against Auburn last fall. Elko said Weigman may be limited in practice, but he's the starter.

"He'd like to be healthier. He'll be able to work efficiently as a pocket-passer. I'm not sure how much he'll be able to run around," Elko said. "Conner's going to go into spring as the number one guy, but we've also had two other quarterbacks play very effectively, Jaylen Henderson at the end of the season and then Marcel Reed in the bowl game. And so like every position across the board, there's competition this spring and Conner certainly needs to be out there and be part of it."

Center Bryce Foster, as he did under Jimbo Fisher will be involved in track this spring. Elko indicated that Foster's presence with the football program during this time will be limited.

"Yeah...he's track," Elko said.

The 2022 and 2023 Aggies struggled on the offensive line, whether or not Foster was on the field. That's one reason Elko immediately fired offensive line coach Steve Addazio when he took the job. Under Adam Cushing, changes have already begun.

"There's a mentality that you want to have as a program. And a lot of that starts with your offensive line. The grit, the toughness, the mental edge, the way you can control a football game," Elko explained. "When your offensive line can do those things, it just creates a certain mentality amongst your program. That's something that we have to develop. I think that the conversations about it have already started."

With major changes to the roster, a new coaching staff and new schemes, Elko said a successful spring would be critical for the Aggies. He's ready to get started.

"We can't waste days. We can't miss opportunities. We can't not maximize everything we're doing... We've got to go out and really, really drive it forward this spring. With it being the first spring, everything is challenging," he said.