Mississippi State's Staley quits basketball team to focus on football

Expected to be in the middle of an all-out battle on the gridiron this spring and upcoming fall, Mississippi State's Elijah Staley has opted to hang up his sneakers.

The school released a statement Monday saying the freshman quit the basketball team to "put his entire focus on football."

The move would seem to make sense as Staley, who joined the team in early December after the conclusion of football season, has played in just two games.

"I'm appreciative of his efforts and how he helped us in practice," MSU basketball coach Ben Howland said. "He really wants to battle for that starting position at quarterback. We wish him well and appreciate his contributions while he was a part of the team."

With Dak Prescott graduating, Staley will be in a three-way battle with fellow redshirt freshman Nick Fitzgerald and junior Damian Williams.

Last season, Williams redshirted, allowing Staley and Fitzgerald to see mop-up duty.

Staley got into two games, completing 3 of 5 passes for a touchdown. He also rushed for 18 yards on three carries. Fitzgerald was the primary backup, completing 11 of 14 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns in eight games. He also rushed for 127 yards and three scores.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Mississippi State's Staley quits basketball team to focus on football ."