Mike Elko says Riley Leonard has 'upper hand' in reunion matchup

For the Notre Dame football game against Texas A&M, Aggies head coach Mike Elko is already on record as wishing anyone else was the Fighting Irish quarterback. It was thought most of that sentiment was about facing off against one of his old charges.

However, on Monday afternoon, Elko made it clear there’s more too it than that. He also thinks that Riley Leonard could have a real edge in the game on Saturday night because of the kind of defense that Elko will run with the Aggies.

The former Duke head coach will be running a similar attack to what he did in Durham. That means that Riley Leonard is facing off against a defense he saw in practice every day for years before he joined the Notre Dame football program.

Riley Leonard could be the secret weapon for Notre Dame football

It’s hard to call a quarterback that the Aggies’ head coach knows as well as Riley Leonard a “secret weapon” but he’s definitely a weapon. A big one. And it’s clear that Elko is a bit nervous. 

During his press conference on Monday he made one comment that stuck out among all others. He doesn’t believe that it’s a situation where the quarterback knows the defense and the defense knows the quarterback.

Credit Mike Denbrock being at the helm of the offense for the Blue and Gold. 

"We don't have a ton of comfort as a program going against this offense,” the first-year A&M coach said. 

Riley Leonard certainly hopes he can take advantage of that discomfort. He’s got a chance to start his Notre Dame football career with a massive win. And he’s starting off on the right foot.