Mike Elko did a lot of good things at Duke in a short time. He built a roster that looked like it could physically compete with any team in the nation. He gave Duke football an identity and showed the administration there that the sport was worth investing in and if they did, the fans would show up. He led the Blue Devils to their first win over Clemson, in a nationally televised spot no less.
But the departure was bad. He pledged his commitment to Duke only to leave in the middle of the night and land at College Station to take the Texas A&M job.