Sources: Duke finalizing deal with Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko

Duke is expected to hire Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko as the school’s next head coach, sources told Yahoo Sports. A deal is expected to be finalized in the near future.

Elko has emerged as one of the country’s top defensive coordinators, as he has led the No. 3 scoring defense in the country this season (15.9 ppg) and the SEC’s top total defense in 2020 (317.3). He has also been a part of Texas A&M staffs that are on the cusp of four consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes.

Elko became a Duke target in part because of his experience at private schools with academic restrictions – Notre Dame and Wake Forest.

Elko’s time at both of those schools is applicable to what he’ll be facing at Duke, who is amid a 13-game ACC losing streak and a 5-18 combined record the past two seasons. That spiral led to the retirement of former head coach David Cutcliffe, who at one point in his Duke tenure led the school to six bowl games in seven seasons.

Elko arrived at Notre Dame in 2017 in the wake of a 4-8 season in 2016. He played a big role in authoring a drastic turnaround, as the Irish went 10-3 the following season and Elko’s defense was at least 20 spots better in seven different defensive categories.

The most applicable experience for Elko may have come at Wake Forest, as he was part of Dave Clawson’s initial staff there and helped build the foundation for the program that has since emerged as an ACC contender. He helped execute Clawson’s steady and consistent rebuild blueprint that culminated this year with a spot in the ACC title game.

While at Wake Forest, Elko also proved he could author a high-end defense. Wake Forest in 2016 finished in the Top 20 in scoring defense and turnovers forced.

Elko has also coached at Fordham, Hofstra and Richmond as an assistant, private schools along the I-95 recruiting corridor where the Duke brand will resonate in recruiting. Elko is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a New Jersey native.

Elko was the third-highest paid assistant coach in the country, only behind since-departed Clemson due of Brent Venables and Tony Elliott. He made $2.1 million last season at Texas A&M.