Elijah Robinson returning to Texas A&M as DL Coach

With Texas A&MDL Coach Sean Spencer departing for the same role on James Franklin’s staff at Virginia Tech, the Aggies had a hire to make, and it looks like it will be a very familiar face. On Sunday, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Mike Elko will hire former Elijah Robinson as A&M’s new DL Coach after a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Syracuse.

Robinson, of course, was the Aggies’s defensive line coach for the duration of the Jimbo Fisher era, including four years under Elko when he was defensive coordinator. Robinson then took over as interim head coach upon Fisher’s firing, and even had a push from players to become the full-time head coach before Mike Elko was hired in December 2023. He was reportedly offered the role of DL coach on Elko’s staff, but understandably took a promotion to defensive coordinator on Fran Brown’s staff at Syracuse.

However after the Syracuse defense underperformed in 2025, Robinson was demoted mid-season, which led to him looking elsewhere for a return to position coach duties. He was initially rumored to join Lane Kiffin’s staff at LSU, and then potentially Matt Rhule’s at Nebraska. But once it was confirmed that the job at A&M was going to come open, it seems like Robinson’s return to Aggieland came together quickly.

Having been gone only two seasons, there are players on this roster who Robinson either recruited or coached who will no doubt be happy for his return. He was beloved by his players and was knowns as one of the elite recruiters in college football – both of which should make him a very worthwhile addition to the Aggies’ 2026 coaching staff.

After a bit of coaching staff shuffling, including the departure of both coordinators and promotion of two assistants to replace them, A&M still has one more hire to make, and that is a QB coach to fill part of the role OC Collin Klein previously occupied. With Marcel Reed showing some some areas where his game needs improvement down the stretch this season, that could prove to be Mike Elko’s most important hire of the offseason.