New Texas A&M Football coach Mike Elko isn’t wasting any time hiring a new staff for the 2024 season. He officially announced the hiring of Collin Klein as the offensive coordinator and Jay Bateman as the defensive coordinator yesterday. This afternoon, Texas A&M Athletics announced more coaching hires for the program. Elko is bringing some familiar faces to Aggieland from Duke. Below are the official press releases from Texas A&M Athletics:
Sean Spencer Tabbed as Defensive Line Coach
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko added Sean Spencer to the Aggie football staff as the defensive line coach. A veteran coach with more than 20 years of experience at the collegiate and professional levels, Spencer served as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for two seasons at Florida following stints at Penn State, Vanderbilt, and with the New York Giants before arriving in Aggieland.
During his first year at Florida, Spencer coached and mentored defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr., a second-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Spencer’s unit contributed to a Florida defense that produced 22 takeaways during the 2022 season, ranking first in the SEC. Those takeaways factored into a turnover margin (8) that ranked eighth in the nation.
Prior to his time with the Gators, Spencer spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as the defensive line coach for the New York Giants. He made an immediate impact with the Giants in his first season as the defensive front registered 40.0 sacks and helped the defense put up some of its best numbers since the 2016 season, ranking 12th in the NFL allowing 349.3 yards per game in 2020 and 10th in rushing defense giving up 111.4 ypg.
Before moving to the NFL, Spencer spent six seasons at Penn State where he was the defensive line coach for four seasons and was later promoted to associate head coach and run game coordinator ahead of the 2018 season. The Nittany Lions finished in the top 10 of the AP Poll in three of his last four seasons, winning a Big Ten title in 2016 and earning New Year’s 6 Bowl berths in 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton).
The Nittany Lions’ line was one of the best in the nation under Spencer, ranking in the top 25 in tackles for loss every season he was on staff and top 15 in sacks in five of his six seasons, stringing together five consecutive 40.0-plus sack seasons. In 2019, Penn State boasted the fifth-best rushing defense (95.0 y/g) and No. 8 scoring defense (16.0 ppg) in the country, while also ranking 10th with 45.0 sacks and 13th with 101.0 TFLs.
Prior to Penn State, Spence spent three seasons at Vanderbilt (2011-13), where he helped the Commodores finish in the top 25 in the nation in total defense all three years. Vanderbilt recorded 28.0, 31.0 and 28.0 sacks under Spencer, with the defensive line posting 42.5 tackles for loss in 2013. Spencer coached the Bowling Green defensive line in 2009-10 and had two stints at UMass, coaching the defensive front from 2001-03 and 2007-08. He also spent time at Hofstra (2006), Villanova (2005), Holy Cross (2004), Trinity College (1998-2000), Shippensburg (1996-97) and Wesleyan (1995).
Spencer was a three-year starter at safety at Clarion (Pa.) University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1995. Spencer is a native of Hartford, Connecticut. He and his wife Allyson have a daughter, Alysia.
Elko Adds Ishmael Aristide as Defensive Backs Coach
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko announced the addition of Ishmael Aristide to the Aggies’ staff as the defensive backs coach. Aristide was on Elko’s staff as the cornerbacks coach at Duke for two seasons after stops at Miami, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Auburn.
In 2022, Aristide helped Duke rank first nationally in fumbles recovered (16), second in turnover margin (+1.23), ninth in turnovers gained (26) and 23rd in sacks (2.8/g). In addition, the Blue Devils’ defensive back unit compiled 59 pass breakups to rank fourth in the ACC and was one of two schools in the league to have five players with six-plus breakups on the year.
He made the move to Durham, after one year at Miami, coaching the strikers and outside linebackers. The Hurricanes finished the 2021 season with a 7-5 mark and an invitation to the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
Prior to his time in Coral Gables, Aristide spent two years with Elko at Texas A&M, working as a senior defensive analyst and secondary assistant during his first stint in Aggieland. He helped the Aggies boast a cumulative 17-6 record, including victories in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl and Capital One Orange Bowl. Aristide worked with a defense that ranked No. 9 in FBS in total defense (317.3 yards per game) in 2020, leading the SEC in that category and ranking No. 4 among Power 5 schools. The Aggies ended that season ranked No. 2 in the country in rushing defense, allowing just 92 yards per game.
Aristide spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons at Ole Miss, serving as the senior defensive analyst and secondary assistant after starting his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at Auburn in 2016. During his season with the Tigers, they finished with an 8-5 overall mark, including an appearance in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn concluded the year ranked No. 11 nationally in red zone defense (.744) and 28th in total defense (361.9 yards per game), which was up from 71st in 2015.
A graduate of Purdue with a bachelor’s degree in technology leadership and innovation, Aristide was a three-year letterman playing safety and wide receiver and was also a member of the track & field program, earning three Big Ten Academic All-Conference honors.
Adam Cushing Named Offensive Line Coach
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has named Adam Cushing the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. Cushing came to Aggieland after two seasons in the same role on Elko’s staff at Duke.
Cushing made an immediate impact in his first season in Durham as the offensive line helped set a Duke program record with 31 rushing touchdowns, while finishing with 2,394 rushing yards. Duke concluded the 2022 season second in the ACC in rushing scores, third in rushing offense (184.2 ypg) and yards per rush (4.9) and fourth in rushing yards.
In 2023, the Blue Devils ranked second in fourth-down conversion percentage (.632) and 27th in the nation, while ranking fourth in rushing touchdowns (25) and yards per rush (4.9) in the ACC.
During his time in Durham, Cushing mentored offensive tackle Graham Barton to All-America accolades in 2023, as well as All-ACC honors in the previous two seasons. He also coached center Jacob Monk to All-ACC recognition in 2022, following a season where the pair anchored an offensive line unit that ranked first in the ACC in sacks allowed (17) and tackles for loss allowed (51).
Cushing served a three-year stint as the head coach at Eastern Illinois from 2019-21. While with the Panthers, Cushing mentored 13 players to 16 All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, including three-time selection Jason Johnson. He also coached three All-Americans in Johnson, Chad Strickland, and JJ Ross.
Prior to his tenure at Eastern Illinois, Cushing spent 15 seasons in a variety of roles at Northwestern, including 10 seasons as the offensive line coach. He also coached the superbacks (2007-08), tight ends and H-backs (2005-06), after beginning as a graduate assistant with the offensive line (2004). Cushing earned national recognition as one of the Big Ten’s top recruiters (Rivals.com, 2007 and ESPN.com, 2009).
During his time in Evanston, Cushing helped lead the Wildcats to the Big Ten Conference West Division title in 2018. That season was capped by the team’s 31-20 win over No. 17 Utah in 2018 Holiday Bowl. In total, Cushing was on staff at Northwestern for 10 bowl games.
In addition, Cushing mentored seven All-Big Ten offensive line selections and eight NFL offensive linemen, including right tackle Rashawn Slater, who would go on to be the No. 13 overall selection by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL Draft and a 2022 All-Pro Bowl choice as a rookie.
Cushing began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Division III La Verne (Calif.), where he spent the 2002 season with the tight ends and 2003 season with the offensive line.
As a player, Cushing was a three-year starter at tight end at the University of Chicago, where he was named a three-time All-University Athletic Association recipient (1999-2001). He helped the Maroons win UAA titles in 1998 and 2000 and was selected a team captain his senior year. He also graduated third in program history with 72 career receptions.
A native of Chicago, Cushing graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Chicago in 2002. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in general education from La Verne in 2004.
Cushing is married to the former Dr. Jaime Bissegger, of Naperville, Ill., and they are the parents of two daughters, Abigail and Dana, and son, Alexander.
Trooper Taylor Named Running Backs Coach
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko tabbed Trooper Taylor as the Aggies’ the associate head coach on offense and running backs coach. Taylor was on staff at Duke for five years, serving in the same role in each of Elko’s two seasons with the Blue Devils.
Taylor has over 30 years of coaching experience, including being on staff at Auburn for its 2010 BCS National Championship run, in which the Tigers went a perfect 14-0. In total, he’s coached in 16 bowl games during a career that also includes stints at Baylor, New Mexico, Tulane, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Arkansas State. He has also been named one of the nation’s top-25 recruiters by Rivals.com on three occasions (2005, 2007 and 2010).
Taylor joined the Duke staff as an assistant coach in January 2019 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2020. He worked with the wide receivers in his first two seasons and spent the 2021 season overseeing the cornerbacks before Coach Elko tabbed him as the running backs coach in 2022. Taylor closed out his time at Duke leading the Blue Devils to victory in the Birmingham Bowl as the interim head coach.
Taylor came to Durham after spending six seasons at Arkansas State (2013-18), where he helped the Red Wolves to 47 wins, six bowl game appearances and a pair of Sun Belt Conference championships in 2015 and 2016. Over his last three campaigns in Jonesboro, he served as the program’s assistant head coach. During his tenure, Taylor coached 11 All-Sun Belt selections including his son, Blaise, who was a four-time all-conference honoree as well as National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete accolades. In addition, Taylor helped Arkansas State secure five consecutive signing classes that were ranked among the top three in the Sun Belt Conference by at least two of the major recruiting services.
As the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Auburn from 2009-12, Taylor helped the Tigers tally 33 victories, four postseason wins and the SEC and BCS titles in 2010. Auburn boasted a perfect 4-0 record in postseason contests in the four-year stretch.
During the national championship run in 2010, Auburn’s receivers helped the offense score a program single-season record 577 points while leading the SEC in scoring at 41.2 points per game as three wideouts topped the 500-yard plateau through the air.
The 2008 season marked Taylor’s lone campaign at Oklahoma State as the Cowboys went 9-4, played in the Holiday Bowl and closed the year ranked No. 16 in the final AP Poll. Serving as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Taylor was part of an offense that produced a pair of First Team All-Americans in wideout Dez Bryant and running back Kendall Hunter. That season, Oklahoma State ranked sixth nationally in total offense and ninth in scoring.
Taylor was at Tennessee from 2004-07 and coached both the running backs (2004-05) and wide receivers (2006-07). The four-year stint was highlighted by 34 victories, two 10-win seasons (2004 and 2007), two SEC Eastern Division Championships (2004 & 2007), three bowl games and three top-25 national finishes.
While with the Volunteers, Taylor coached Tennessee’s first pair of single-season 1,000-yard rushers in Gerald Riggs Jr. and Cedric Houston (2004) as well as future NFL All-Pro back Arian Foster. In addition, wideout Robert Meachem received All-America honors in 2006 under Taylor’s tutelage and was a first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Prior to his time in Knoxville, Taylor spent five seasons coaching the wide receivers at Tulane from 1999-2003. Among his pupils were four individuals – Adrian Burnette, Kerwin Cook, Terrell Harris and Roydell Williams – who went on to careers in the NFL. Williams closed his collegiate career as Conference USA’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 35.
Taylor spent the 1998 season coaching the running backs at New Mexico after spending five seasons at Baylor (1993-97), his alma mater. He began as a graduate assistant coach, working with the administration and the defensive backfield in 1993 and 1994, respectively, before later coaching the wide receivers (1995 and 1997) and defensive secondary (1996).
Taylor lettered four seasons (1989-90-91-92) as a defensive back at Baylor and helped the Bears to the Copper Bowl in his final campaign, while finishing his career as the school’s career leader in both kickoff returns (53) and return yardage (1,063). He graduated from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1992.
A native of Cuero, Texas, Taylor is married to the former Dr. Evi Crosby of Harbor City, California, and the couple has one daughter, Starr, and one son, Blaise.