The decision has been made; TJ Finley has been named starting quarterback. In his press conference yesterday, head coach Bryan Harsin expanded on his decision to give Finley the keys to the offense:
“I do want to start with the quarterback, T.J. Finley. We announced him yesterday. I’m just proud of him – and all those guys through the competition – and looking forward to seeing him prepare himself this week and get out there and play.”
Harsin looked confident in his decision, but did admit that it would be subject to evaluation on a game by game basis:
“We’re always evaluating our guys. He won the starting job, and that’s the focus going into this week. Beyond this game, and not to create any controversy or any issues, but it’s football. You never know, right? You have guys at other positions. It’s really the same thing. I know we want to focus on the quarterback. It’s all the same to me. You have got to go out there and play well. Those guys will know that at the end of the day it doesn’t mean that other guys in backup roles don’t want to play.”
“We’re a strep throat away from somebody else being a starter. This depth chart right here, that’s the reality of our world. You might be the third-string guy and then come Thursday, a guy gets sick and you’re the second-string guy. And then he goes out there the second play the game and rolls his ankle, you’re the starter on the third play of the game. So, if guys are in here pouting about not being in the position they want to be in, then they’re not going to be ready when their moment is called and get that opportunity.”
The Bigger Picture
As the presser went on, Harsin was keen to put the QB decision into context. Finley is the starter on merit – but now it’s time to get him and the team ready for a game of football:
“T.J. has earned it. Those other quarterbacks, they all competed. They’re not going to stop competing. They’re not going to stop working. They’re not going to stop trying to prepare to go out there and play because they all know you’re one play away. That’s just the reality of it in football. But as far as practice goes, T.J. is going to get the majority of the reps. He is going to be out there running with the blues (first team), and we’re going to focus on the game plan of what we have to do and let him go operate. We’ve got his back, and this is his opportunity to go out there and prepare himself for Saturday and then hopefully play really well.”
Despite Harsin only confirming the decision yesterday, he admitted that it almost organically evolved since the start of the year. Finley had a head start on the competition, and never really relinquished control:
“I think anybody that was at our practices knew that he won the job from a while ago. I don’t think it was any shock whatsoever. It’s really simple. It’s like, alright, let’s do this, ready to go. That’s what I like about T.J. I mean, he’s the guy who has been taking the number one reps since January. I’m not sure that he was really surprised by it. But nonetheless, you know, hey, let’s roll. It’s time to go.”
What Makes A Quarterback?
An intriguing aspect of the press conference was when Harsin described the main component he looks for in a quarterback. Leadership? No. Arm talent? No. Harsin espoused the need for bravery and physicality at the most important position on the field:
“I think toughness is a huge part of that. If you really study that position, I think that is the number one trait that you have to have. You watch the really good quarterbacks – and nobody cares about this stuff more, than maybe as much as I do – but 10 years of studying this position, talking to NFL coaches, watching NFL quarterbacks, college quarterbacks and high school quarterbacks, talking to college quarterbacks and NFL quarterbacks, the number one thing for me is toughness.”
Harsin continued:
“I think that’s one of the key ingredients to being successful in that position. It’s really hard to gauge that in practice because you don’t hit your quarterbacks. You can throw stuff at them – we throw brooms, bags, balls, and all these things like that. You’ve got it or you don’t. You’re going to stand there and you’re going to deliver when a guy’s barreling down on you. You better be tough and you better be able to handle the crowd. You have to be able to handle all the ups and downs of the game. You have to be able to lock in in order to do your job and call the plays. You have to get yourself up really quickly when you get knocked down. Those are all things to me, in my experience watching the best play that position, I think that’s one of the number one things they’ve had, just the toughness.”
Final Thoughts On Finley
It’s #TJFinleySZN folks. Like it or not, that’s where this Auburn football team is at. You hire coaches to make those decisions. And in Bryan Harsin, the Tigers have an elite assessor and developer of quarterback talent. His resume speaks for itself, and if he deems Finley the best man for the job, who are we to doubt him?
Finley was at the helm of a substandard offense down the stretch last year. Of that there is no doubt. But this is a kid who had been on campus less than 12 months. Who had not had any starting reps in practice. And who was given a raw deal in terms of weapons at his disposal. This offseason the coaching staff have tested him, surrounding him with competition. A livewire rookie, a dynamic dual threat, and a seasoned SEC veteran. And Finley has come out on top. That shouldn’t be criticism of the talent in the QB room. That should be recognition of the growth of a quarterback who was once a 4-star recruit, fawned over by Alabama and LSU.
On Saturday, Mercer comes to town. Finley will lead the Tigers into the 2022 season, a welcome respite from the rollercoaster spring and summer. Football is back on The Plains, and in TJ we trust. War Eagle!