SEC Network analyst calls TJ Finley LSU’s QB of the future
LSU quarterback TJ Finley has had his moments this season, particularly for a true freshman thrust into action with in injury to Myles Brennan. And he’s played well enough that SEC Network analyst Jordan Rodgers called him LSU’s quarterback of the future, even ahead of Brennan.
“I firmly believe after watching film of TJ Finley this last week that he is the quarterback of the future,” I don’t care if Myles Brennan is healthy now or down the road, TJ Finley showed me what I need to see. This was the closest to a Joe Burrow game plan. They went spread. They went quick. The consistently got the ball up and down. He used his eyes to look off defenders. He plays outside the pocket. He’s a big body, but he doesn’t naturally play with a ton of rudeness. He plays quick. He played decisively. He did everything that LSU needed him to do. He’s dangerous.”
Finley played well last week in LSU”s 27-24 victory over Arkansas, completing 27-of-42 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. On the season after that game, he’d hit on 65.5% of his passes for 679 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions.
“You know, he’s got ice in his veins,” said LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. “He’s got a lot of confidence. I mean he practices that way. He’s got a strong arm. He’s got a big body. He’s confident. He can handle the rush, can scramble. There are some things with the play going fast that he has to key and diagnose a little bit better, but overall, he showed that he can win a big game at the end.”
LSU went into last week determined to put Finley in position to succeed. The Tigers gave 24 carries to Tyrion Davis-Price, and he responded with 104 yards and a touchdown. That allowed the Tigers to hold onto the ball for an incredible 42 minutes. Just as importantly, LSU found itself in third-and-short and third-and-medium more often, a big factor in the Tigers converting 12-of-23 third downs in the game.
“We wanted to run the football,” Orgeron said. “We wanted to be in manageable third downs. Short, easy throws, take the shots when we could. We thought that we had some chances and we missed some shots. Put the ball in our playmakers hand. I thought Arik Gilbert had a great game. Anytime we could give him the football. The key was the time of possession.”
Still, it could be tough for Finley to pass Brennan, who was having a big season before the injury. He was completing 60.3% of his passes for 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns against just three picks, and he gave the Tigers a great chance to stretch the field.
