Mississippi State QB Commit Elijah Staley Reportedly Kicked Off High School Team

Elijah Staley has excelled as quarterback at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., earning scholarship offers along the way. However, it appears the Mississippi State commit's days as a Wildcat have reached a conclusion.

The 3-star recruit has been dismissed from his high school squad, according to Clarion Ledger reporter John Talty. The dismissal reportedly stems from Staley's disagreements with Wheeler head coach Mike Collins, who didn't want his quarterback changing plays or making substantial adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

Talty reports that Staley was asked to apologize for butting heads with the coach during a game. When he declined, Collins kicked him off the team.

"I apologized for how I approached the situation but I didn't apologize for what I said,” Staley told the Ledger. "I don't feel the need to because that's how I feel."

The 6'6", 230-pound passer committed to Mississippi State in June, two months after he backed out of a verbal pact with Vanderbilt. Staley also holds offers from Boston College, Virginia and Marshall.

In the aftermath of his exile from Wheeler's football program, his father told the Ledger there is a "99 percent chance" he will enroll early at Mississippi State. An online course is likely all that stands in the way of his high school graduation after this semester, according to Talty.

Staley is expected to suit up for the Bulldogs basketball team and split time between basketball and football in college. He earned accolades as one of Reebok's top 25 most dynamic high school athletes this year, per MaxPreps.

With his career as a Wildcat apparently a thing of the past, Staley will turn his attention toward completing the necessary high school courses and preparing for life as a dual-sport student-athlete in Starkville.