Elijah Staley and the QB Position...

[Kojak.sixpack]

I used to follow recruiting religiously. For whatever reason, I don't really look at it now until I see the signee list on signing day.

That said, I looked at some Staley video this weekend. He is an absolute star. Taller than tall, relativity fast, good arm [left handed]. You can never count on a high schooler to come in and be successful at QB in SEC, but based on his Jr. film Staley is the closest to a sure thing I have seen if he's healthy.

I have never had full faith in Mullen because of some head scratching personnel decisions that have been discussed ad nauseum here (Perkins over Robinson in short yardage, Russell over Dak) and his late game play calls with a lead (FLA in 2009 [granted we won], Auburn 2013, etc.), but I think we are entering a renaissance period where our QB play (Prescott, Williams, Staley) and RB talent (JRob, Shump, Aeris) will be better than the vast majority of teams we play against. This should make up for a number of other deficiencies. I'm pretty fired up.


I'm sure there has been some discussion about Staley and Fitzgerald on here but I'm surprised there is not more given the prominence of the QB position and what a dual threat QB means in Mullen's offense. What are your thoughts? Has anyone seen Staley in person?

 

[Original48]

We need to relentlessly go after O line like we do RBs and defense. Seems to be our only achilles right now.

 

[57stratdawg]

I haven't seen Staley in person, but I think his future is brighter than Fitzgerald. I don't know why we continue to pick up triple-option type QBs (Fitz & the Schessuler kid); they just seem like such a project to me. Fitzgerald completed 35 passes his entire HS career. That just seems like we're now trying to teach this kid advanced calculus when he's just finished up pre-algebra.

I understand the coaches' job is to spot potential, and they obviously saw something in Fitzgerald. Hopefully it works out. I doubt there is another starting QB in the SEC with anywhere close to that few completions his HS/SR year.

 

[aTotal360]

He reminds me of Brandon Bridge from Alcorn that had a decent day against us in 2010.

 

[121Josey]

Staley has a lot of work to do

I think Staley is a project. Out of all the QBs on the team, I am least impressed with his highlight package. It may be because it's his junior year. Maybe State got a diamond in the rough, but it doesn't make me wolly - at least not yet.

Elijah Staley


His basketball tape is more impressive


Nick Fitzgerald


Damien Williams

 

[esplanade91]

Favre averaged something like 4 passes a game in high school. Obviously this isn't 1985 anymore and I'm not comparing Fitz to Favre, but I think Fitz is the perfect guy to bring in for competition in camp and riding the pine. Not going to get many high school QB's with at least one other offer to come in and ride the bench for 5 years unless they have something going against them like completing 35 passes as a senior. Could easily become a TE if it comes to that.

 

[msstate7]

I haven't seen Staley in person, but I think his future is brighter than Fitzgerald. I don't know why we continue to pick up triple-option type QBs (Fitz & the Schessuler kid); they just seem like such a project to me. Fitzgerald completed 35 passes his entire HS career. That just seems like we're now trying to teach this kid advanced calculus when he's just finished up pre-algebra.

I understand the coaches' job is to spot potential, and they obviously saw something in Fitzgerald. Hopefully it works out. I doubt there is another starting QB in the SEC with anywhere close to that few completions his HS/SR year.

Well in fitz's defense, he wasn't a qb until his senior year. Fitz was a pretty good wr up until the move I believe. Why not take a chance on a big, athletic kid?

Brunswickdawg on ED has seen fitz in person and thinks he's a great prospect fwiw

 

[Perpetual Underachiever]

We need to relentlessly go after O line like we do RBs and defense. Seems to be our only achilles right now.

^^^THIS^^^ Recruiting 2015 & 2016 OL should be our top priority. It doesn't matter who we have at qb if we can't hold the line. Signed 5 OL this year. I'd like to see us sign a minimum of 5-6 again next year.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

Take it for what it's worth, but Mullen said that from the beginning after Staley was in camp, he was labeled a "5 star QB" on our recruiting board. Btw, you more than likely saw some senior film of Staley as well. He played in the first 5 or so games before getting kicked off the team. He won't help this upcoming year bc he should be able to red shirt, but he may be an immediate impact on the basketball team.

 

[NCDawg.sixpack]

Take it for what it's worth, but Mullen said that from the beginning after Staley was in camp, he was labeled a "5 star QB" on our recruiting board. Btw, you more than likely saw some senior film of Staley as well. He played in the first 5 or so games before getting kicked off the team. He won't help this upcoming year bc he should be able to red shirt, but he may be an immediate impact on the basketball team.

Wonder why he got kicked off the team? We don't need non-disciplined players on the team. We've had too many of them in the past.

 

[Dawg1976]

I like all 3 of our backup qb's. Williams hs film looks as good as the other 2 imo. Of course we know a little more about Williams since he got in some unexpected playing time last year. Although he looked mature for a true freshman, he still has a lot of room for improvement.

Hopefully Dak stays healthy the next 2 years given the rest plenty of time to develop.

 

[57stratdawg]

I'm not saying the kid isn't worth a scholarship. I just wish we weren't signing kids that ran the triple option to play QB for us. I'm sure the staff puts 10X more weight on what they saw in camp, and Fitz, obviously, performed pretty well in front of our coaches that night.

I'm just saying that compared to Staley, he seems like a massive project as Schessuler was.

We'll basically have to teach Fitz 'how to learn' before he can even begin to learn. I doubt film study, reading a defense were very high priorities for the kid if he's only throwing 3 passes a game.

 

[missouridawg]

Wonder why he got kicked off the team? We don't need non-disciplined players on the team. We've had too many of them in the past.

If what I read is correct, his high school coach would not allow him to check plays at the line of scrimmage and this lead to constant arguing and ultimately his dismissal from the team.

 

[whosyourdawgy]

So basically, what 121Josey is trying to say is that Damian Williams was a bad boy in high school compared to Staley or Fitzgerald. And I tend to agree. Damian doesn't have much juke in him does he. He just tries to run over you. But he made some excellent throws. Glad we have all 3 but the video on Williams is very good!

 

[121Josey]

I'm not saying the kid isn't worth a scholarship. I just wish we weren't signing kids that ran the triple option to play QB for us. I'm sure the staff puts 10X more weight on what they saw in camp, and Fitz, obviously, performed pretty well in front of our coaches that night.

I'm just saying that compared to Staley, he seems like a massive project as Schessuler was.

We'll basically have to teach Fitz 'how to learn' before he can even begin to learn. I doubt film study, reading a defense were very high priorities for the kid if he's only throwing 3 passes a game.

What kind of offense do you think they're trying to run? They're looking to be 65/35 RUN.

Schussler was a pro-style QB. They ran wing-T sets but also ran the spread.

I doubt many HS QBs are reading defenses at a D-1 level in HS. Maybe if they play in the greater Dallas area but not in the southeast.

It took Dak almost three years to learn the read option. Do you think Fitz can learn it faster? My bet is one year.

 

[57stratdawg]

Which tells me that's probably less than 1/2 of the story. If you kick off your Sr year, 4star QB with multiple SEC offers, something has gone horribly wrong.

Having said that, I thought it was pretty crappy of 247 to basically drop the kid from a 90 rating (4****) to a 78 ranting (whatever they dropped him to) over 'character concerns'. They have no idea what's going on there and rather the coach or player is in the wrong.

 

[BiscuitEater]

In his defense ...

I haven't seen Staley in person, but I think his future is brighter than Fitzgerald. I don't know why we continue to pick up triple-option type QBs (Fitz & the Schessuler kid); they just seem like such a project to me. Fitzgerald completed 35 passes his entire HS career. That just seems like we're now trying to teach this kid advanced calculus when he's just finished up pre-algebra.

He can only throw when the coaches call the play. He didn't throw for a high percentage but when he did complete them, they averaged gaining ~ 24 yards per completion and > 1 of every three was a TD (36%). When he ran, he averaged ~ 8 yards/carry with 25 TDs in a tough Georgia division.

Entered school early, staff seems high on him and should get a lot of QB work in during the spring. With some experience, he could end up being the better of the two QBs.

 

[kired]

Anybody know the actual size on Staley? I've seen 6'-6" and 6'-7" for height, but anywhere from 205 (scout) to 230 (247) for weight.

If QB doesn't work out, I'd love to see what he's capable of at DE or TE (assuming the 230 lbs is correct).

 

[patdog]

I think it's plenty fair for them to drop his rating over character concerns. I had the same concerns when Nick James and Quay Evans got suspended from their high school teams. If a player gets suspended in high school, that's a pretty big red flag. Doesn't mean there's necessarily a problem or that he's not worth taking a chance on even if there is a problem. Obviously, Mullen knows more about the situation than you, me, or any recruiting site, and it's pretty clear what he thinks about the situation. That's all that really matters.

 

[aTotal360]

I agree. Act a fool and get your rating dropped. Normally the sites don't do it unless something significant happened. I'm not trying to pass judgement, but its hard to get kicked off a team if you are the star player.

 

[57stratdawg]

That's fine. 90 to 85. Done. But, 90 to 80 seems kind of extreme. How much was Jeremey Hill's dropped for sexual assault?

To me, it's like not voting for a Heisman candidate because of 'off the field concerns'. That's crap. Only a handfull of people actually know anything about a prospect's character. I assure you, the guys at 247 have no idea about the kind of moral compass Elijah Staley posses.

 

[stinkfoot]

Two years???? He's not going pro after he wins the Heisman?

I like all 3 of our backup qb's. Williams hs film looks as good as the other 2 imo. Of course we know a little more about Williams since he got in some unexpected playing time last year. Although he looked mature for a true freshman, he still has a lot of room for improvement.

Hopefully Dak stays healthy the next 2 years given the rest plenty of time to develop.

adfsafsd

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

If what I read is correct, his high school coach would not allow him to check plays at the line of scrimmage and this lead to constant arguing and ultimately his dismissal from the team.

If that is the case, then Staley couldn't play for about 99% of the hs coaches in the US.

 

[aTotal360]

Wonder how many times "run the damn play" was said on the sidelines?

 

[Digging dog]

Slightly different angle on this thread.
Have we ever had:
1. Four quarterbacks on the roster.
2. Four quarterbacks which ALL potentially be good

 

[RebelAlumnus]

When you think about it, it was probably planned by Mullen for Staley to get kicked off. He knew that the recruiting sites would drop his rating below a 4star and, because of this, Freeze would completely ignore him. Strategery.

 

[esplanade91]

If that is the case, then Staley couldn't play for about 99% of the hs coaches in the US.

I don't know about check downs, but I heard it was because he was changing the play on the line essentially every down and the head coach and he basically blew up on each other about play calling. Even if he's your star player, I don't know how many coaches would back down to a 17 year old QB in front of their team.

Part of me likes to see a QB grabbing the offense by the horns, the other part of me is worried he has a problem with authority. Both can be taught, but I feel like it's much, much harder to teach a QB to anticipate the defensive play-call. Assuming he wasn't entirely 17ing up plays, I'm ok with bringing him in with the red flags.

 

[patdog]

Yeah. Just like he held off on announcing Brian Johnson as our QB coach so he could steal that recruit from Florida from you.**

 

[BrunswickDawg]

Well in fitz's defense, he wasn't a qb until his senior year. Fitz was a pretty good wr up until the move I believe. Why not take a chance on a big, athletic kid?

Brunswickdawg on ED has seen fitz in person and thinks he's a great prospect fwiw

Thanks for the props msstate7....

I followed Fitz closely this year - he is just up the road and plays in my kids' HS region. You can't gauge any South GA QB by their stats. Everyone runs some version of a triple option or veer offense - same with Richmond Hill. An example is Chase Ramsey - #2 at UGA. His HS averaged 4 throws a game on his way to a State Championship.

I watched Fitz rip apart Glynn Academy this season with 5 passes. 3 of 5, all 3 were very well thrown TD's in the 25-30 yard range. The 2 incomplete passes were drops that would have been TD's. He has the arm, which you could see in warm-ups. His running was phenomenal. Everyone locally raves about the kid - his leadership, his intangibles, etc. He led the region as a JR in receiving yards in an offense that doesn't throw - so he is athletic. He is raw, and a bit of a project - but if you paid attention to what was said during bowl practice about him, you will see what the coaches saw. I think it will be a battle between him and Staley for the 3 spot, and if Fitz redshirts, he will be our version of DJ Shockley - the ultimate team guy who just unloads when he gets the chance as a SR.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

watched his basketball highlights..I predict he will be a better basketball player for us than football.