TJ Finley reacts to winning Auburn quarterback job, but says the job isn't done
Just as he closed last season, TJ Finley will be the starting quarterback for Auburn this year. He won out against Robby Ashford and Zach Calzada after competing against the other two all through spring practice and fall camp. Finley is the only one who has started for the Tigers, with Ashford and Calzada coming in from outside programs.
Finley had the opportunity to discuss winning the starting the job, saying it felt good to hear the news. However, being the starter is not his goal — winning is. The junior quarterback wants to win championships for Auburn at both the conference and national levels.
“It felt amazing to get the news finally,” Finley said. “But the job isn’t done. I didn’t come here just to win a starting job, I came here to lead this team and win an SEC Championship, national championship. As soon as I found out the news yesterday, my Dad actually punched me in the chest and told me ‘son, the job isn’t done. You can be happy now that you won the job but like I said, the job isn’t done.’ Going to do my best to lead this team to an SEC Championship and national championship.”
TJ Finley explains how he won the starting role
With Auburn needing a leader to step up, Finley has seemingly taken the reigns. He said there was “a feeling” that the job would be his and the credit went toward his energy. Finley doesn’t think anybody will be able to match him throughout the season.
“I kind of knew already, I had a feeling that I was the starter,” Finely said. “Just because the preparation I put into fall camp, what it meant to me to lead this team, and I don’t think anybody else on this team can match that energy of mine. Just because I believe in myself that I have that energy and that desire to will myself to be the starting quarterback. I was not going to be defeated by anyone this season.”
While Finley may not have been named a captain this season, he will certainly be a vocal leader in the locker room.
Twitter was how the announcement was made
Finley found out he won the starting job through Twitter, just like the rest of us. However, Finley thinks everybody within the Auburn program knew he was going to be named the starter.
“I think the whole team had a general opinion and observation of what was going on inside the building,” Finley said. “It got out how I got out. We found out the same day everybody else did.”
No matter how Finley found out, he will be the guy for head coach Bryan Harsin. The two did not have a ton of success at the end of last season, dropping three consecutive games. However, it’s a new year for Auburn — and Finley is expecting big things.