Eli Staley

[Dawg61]

I probably gave you the most shit on this board but I'd like to be the first to thank you for this magical moment in time you gave the world with Dak and Fitz. It's going to live on for a very long time. I am now rooting for you to destroy every defense you face from here on.

[BrunswickDawg]

I never understood your hate on Staley. I get the issue with his HS coach giving him a little cloud - but by all accounts he is a stand up guy who wanted to compete. FYI - that coach he had the blow up with has only had 1 winning season at Wheeler and is in a talent rich area.

Staley is a Boobie Dixon type - fun Fun Fun

[TXDawg]

Where did Staley end up signing?

[Dawg61]

I never understood your hate on Staley. I get the issue with his HS coach giving him a little cloud - but by all accounts he is a stand up guy who wanted to compete. FYI - that coach he had the blow up with has only had 1 winning season at Wheeler and is in a talent rich area.

Staley is a Boobie Dixon type - fun Fun Fun

He pouted way too much for my liking and he did the Cam Newton superman on our field. We don't like Cam Newton. All that is in the past now and his gif will stay in the present for a long time.

[Cary Hudson's little bro]

Where did Staley end up signing?

Morgan State (I think)

[HSVDawg]

I never understood your hate on Staley. I get the issue with his HS coach giving him a little cloud - but by all accounts he is a stand up guy who wanted to compete. FYI - that coach he had the blow up with has only had 1 winning season at Wheeler and is in a talent rich area.

Staley is a Boobie Dixon type - fun Fun Fun

The Staley character assasinations were always way overblown. My understanding is that he did well in the classroom and was a likeable teammate for the most part. You are right when you say that he has somewhat of a dynamic personality like Boobie and that probably rubs some people the wrong way. The biggest criticism out there for him is that he just wasn't a very good quarterback. How much of that was due to just not developing and how much was due to flirting with basketball for too long is up for debate, but when you look at his JUCO performance and end destination it is pretty obvious that he just didn't pan out.

[KB21]

The Staley character assasinations were always way overblown. My understanding is that he did well in the classroom and was a likeable teammate for the most part. You are right when you say that he has somewhat of a dynamic personality like Boobie and that probably rubs some people the wrong way. The biggest criticism out there for him is that he just wasn't a very good quarterback. How much of that was due to just not developing and how much was due to flirting with basketball for too long is up for debate, but when you look at his JUCO performance and end destination it is pretty obvious that he just didn't pan out.

His desire and love of football was always my question with him. It always seemed like his love resided with basketball, and it seemed like he was never willing to fully give it up. I really think it hurt his development and allowed Nick Fitzgerald to put a comfortable distance between the two of them.

[SaintDawg]

Seems like such a long time ago, but was only 2015. Ah, nostalgia. They grow up so fast.

[Cary Hudson's little bro]

I think that when things got tough he wanted out. When he needed to be the QB room more than anything he tried to play for Rick Ray. Remember Fitz flying in the air in the BYU game? I don't think Staley had that "will to win" every play.

He was a Cam starter kit, but didn't have the "IT" factor

[smootness]

I think that when things got tough he wanted out. When he needed to be the QB room more than anything he tried to play for Rick Ray. Remember Fitz flying in the air in the BYU game? I don't think Staley had that "will to win" every play.

He was a Cam starter kit, but didn't have the "IT" factor

Or he liked basketball, and Fitz simply beat him out? Why do we always have to try to read more into things? Somebody had to win the competition, and Fitz was the guy. Seeing that and knowing he was in the same class, he sought an opportunity to play elsewhere.

It seems pretty straightforward; why do we have to try to say he didn't have the will to win?

[Tbonewannabe]

Or he liked basketball, and Fitz simply beat him out? Why do we always have to try to read more into things? Somebody had to win the competition, and Fitz was the guy. Seeing that and knowing he was in the same class, he sought an opportunity to play elsewhere.

It seems pretty straightforward; why do we have to try to say he didn't have the will to win?

It isn't like Fitz is a mediocre QB. The guy led the SEC in total offense and only played 11 games. If he played the full game against South Alabama then we might have won that game. It could be that benching helped him in some way just like Aeris not playing in the first half of the season but there isn't 2 other QBs in the SEC I would take over having Fitz under center next year.

[HSVDawg]

It seems pretty straightforward; why do we have to try to say he didn't have the will to win?

Because nothing pisses off college football fans more than a highly touted recruit at a critical position that doesn't pan out. They seek irrational closure from blaming it on the player as opposed to acknowledging the whole system of player evaluation (by both coaches and recruiting services) is inherently flawed.

Anyone who can read between the lines knows that we signed two QB's in the 2014 class that were both very high risk / high reward type guys (but for different reasons). Fitz was an exceptional athlete, but didn't have a lot of experience playing the position or the benefit of an offense that could develop his passing. Staley had Cam Newton size and a huge arm but was also very raw in the touch department. Both had some possible maturity issues. Our coaches knew that both were high risk / high reward. That is why we signed both of them in hopes that one would pan out, and that is exactly what happened. The problem is a large contingent of our fans expected the one to pan out to be Staley based on his star rating, and have difficulty reconciling that his rating was not accurate and therefore blame it on him for not living up to his potential.

[Tbonewannabe]

Because nothing pisses off college football fans more than a highly touted recruit at a critical position that doesn't pan out. They seek irrational closure from blaming it on the player as opposed to acknowledging the whole system of player evaluation (by both coaches and recruiting services) is inherently flawed.

Anyone who can read between the lines knows that we signed two QB's in the 2014 class that were both very high risk / high reward type guys (but for different reasons). Fitz was an exceptional athlete, but didn't have a lot of experience playing the position or the benefit of an offense that could develop his passing. Staley had Cam Newton size and a huge arm but was also very raw in the touch department. Both had some possible maturity issues. Our coaches knew that both were high risk / high reward. That is why we signed both of them in hopes that one would pan out, and that is exactly what happened. The problem is a large contingent of our fans expected the one to pan out to be Staley based on his star rating, and have difficulty reconciling that his rating was not accurate and therefore blame it on him for not living up to his potential.

Staley and Fitz had about the same arm strength but I thought Staley had better touch on the deep ball. Staley was a lot slower than Fitz and he seems to have a big wind up and slow release. Some things you can coach to get better but sometimes players don't develop like you think they would. It isn't a knock on Staley if for whatever reason he didn't improve more than Fitz. If that was the case then Dak would not be where he is today.

[HSVDawg]

If that was the case then Dak would not be where he is today.

Huh? Are you saying somehow Staley would have passed Dak on the depth chart if he improved more? Because that is comical.

[smootness]

Huh? Are you saying somehow Staley would have passed Dak on the depth chart if he improved more? Because that is comical.

I don't think that's at all what he was saying. I read it to say that if it was all about recruiting ranking and expectations (which would mean Staley would have improved beyond Fitzgerald), then Dak would have never become what he has.

[BrunswickDawg]

Because nothing pisses off college football fans more than a highly touted recruit at a critical position that doesn't pan out. They seek irrational closure from blaming it on the player as opposed to acknowledging the whole system of player evaluation (by both coaches and recruiting services) is inherently flawed.

Anyone who can read between the lines knows that we signed two QB's in the 2014 class that were both very high risk / high reward type guys (but for different reasons). Fitz was an exceptional athlete, but didn't have a lot of experience playing the position or the benefit of an offense that could develop his passing. Staley had Cam Newton size and a huge arm but was also very raw in the touch department. Both had some possible maturity issues. Our coaches knew that both were high risk / high reward. That is why we signed both of them in hopes that one would pan out, and that is exactly what happened. The problem is a large contingent of our fans expected the one to pan out to be Staley based on his star rating, and have difficulty reconciling that his rating was not accurate and therefore blame it on him for not living up to his potential.

This. And how many times did we recruit a "touted" QBs and they didn't pan out. Anyone remember Rodney Hudson? Guy was a GA Legend for the Lagrange teams with him and Walt Harris. His career MSU stats - 1/5 for -6 yards and 1 INT.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

The biggest thing that held Elijah back was that knee injury. It robbed him of a lot of his athleticism. He was never a great runner but that injury made him almost a statue. He's a great kid who never was in any trouble here & was on the honor roll his entire time at MSU. Wish him the best.

[Cary Hudson's little bro]

The biggest thing that held Elijah back was that knee injury. It robbed him of a lot of his athleticism. He was never a great runner but that injury made him almost a statue. He's a great kid who never was in any trouble here & was on the honor roll his entire time at MSU. Wish him the best.

my bad...I forgot about the knee injury. I take back what I said earlier

[Bodaski]

It isn't like Fitz is a mediocre QB. The guy led the SEC in total offense and only played 11 games. If he played the full game against South Alabama then we might have won that game. It could be that benching helped him in some way just like Aeris not playing in the first half of the season but there isn't 2 other QBs in the SEC I would take over having Fitz under center next year.

If Fitz improves in the downfield passing game and is accurate enough to be a threat, then it's not a doubt in my mind we will be an offense teams want like playing. Mullen is great in finding match ups to exploit defenses. It all hinges on Fitz improving in the passing game. He'll drive DC's nuts.

[Tbonewannabe]

I don't think that's at all what he was saying. I read it to say that if it was all about recruiting ranking and expectations (which would mean Staley would have improved beyond Fitzgerald), then Dak would have never become what he has.

Correct. Dak wasn't supposed to be as good as he is but he worked his ass off and has enough physical tools. Staley has a better arm than Dak from what Dak said but doesn't have that work ethic that Dak has (most people don't have that level of work ethic). Stars don't take into account how you will fit into the system or how hard you will work. It also doesn't take into account the coaching you will receive in college.