If Morgan State is going to be a factor in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship race Mississippi State transfer quarterback Elijah Staley will have to play a big role this year.
At 6’7’’ Staley is a big man on campus and one of the biggest quarterbacks in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). However, if the preseason projections of his coaches are any indication Staley is the type of impact player who can change the fortunes of an entire program in just one season.
Mississippi State transfer quarterback Elijah Staley is expected to have a big impact on the Morgan State offense and could help them contend in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football race. (Courtesy photo)
“A lot of his success will depend on players stepping up around him,” Morgan head coach Fred Farrier told the AFRO. “The team has taken to his leadership and he is a special talent. We’ll see how it comes together when the games count.”
Staley could be a difference maker as another in a series of major college transfers who step into starting roles at HBCUs. His accuracy as a passer and athleticism bring a dynamic to the Morgan program which they haven’t seen since the days of Bradshaw Littlejohn, who was the MEAC offensive player of the year in 2004. However, he’s just one piece of the puzzle on offense.
“I’m excited to play with these guys, I’m just a new addition to the team, that’s the way I look at it,” said Staley during an interview with the team’s broadcaster on media day. “It’s not a big drop off in talent between here and Mississippi State. There may not be as many players at each position but competition is real high. Nobody wants to finish 3-8 again”.
The Bears offense will get a lift from the return of Herb Walker, Jr. who missed most of last season after a foot injury in the season opener against Holy Cross. In 2014 Walker set the school’s single season record rushing for 1,408 yards in helping the Bears win a share of the MEAC championship for the first time in 35 years. He missed the 2015 season due to an academic redshirt and Morgan’s offense has not been the same without him.
Walker’s return to form may can’t be underscored. The Bears used four running backs last year and neither ran for 500 yards. They barely averaged three yards per carry rushing for 1,319 yards total as a team. In a conference where teams who run the football and control the clock it will be imperative for Morgan’s rushing attack to get better.
If Staley and Walker stay healthy and impact the Bears offense as expected they should be the catalysts for championship contention in northeast Baltimore. This duo gives Morgan offensive versatility with quick strike capability from anywhere on the field which could change the fortune of a team that struggled to score inside the red zone last year. Walker is a legitimate game changer who can score from anywhere on the field while Staley can extend lays outside the pocket but needs an inexperienced receiving corps to step up.
Last year’s 3-8 record doesn’t tell the story of how competitive Morgan was. The Bears lost three MEAC games by a total of 20 points. Special teams were a major culprit as Morgan missed 10 of 16 field goals and missed five of 21 extra points in games decided by less than a touchdown.
Morgan was picked to finished eighth in the MEAC this season but that could be selling them short if Staley makes a big impact on the conference.