What is Next for Tulane Football Following Star Quarterback's Suspension?
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The Tulane Green Wave football program was handed a hefty blow on Thursday as they announced that they would be suspending transfer quarterback TJ Finley.
Local news channel FOX 8 reported early on Thursday morning that Finley had been arrested and is facing charges for "illegally possessing a stolen item worth more than $25,000."
The Ponchatoula, La., native has since been released from jail.
There will be a full investigation done, which puts the Green Wave football program into a bit of a limbo spot for an already troubling quarterback conundrum.
For the past few years, the quarterback spot has been a noted strength of Tulane teams. Michael Pratt and Darian Mensah are two of the best passers that the school has ever seen.
With Mensah leaving to set NIL records with the Duke Blue Devils, the Green Wave are now forced to go to the transfer portal.
Finley was the favorite to win the starting job. He has floated around to different schools, mostly as a backup.
The one year that he spent starting full time for the Texas State Bobcats, they actually put up some big numbers on offense. He threw for 3,439 yards with 24 touchdowns to eight interceptions on a 67.4% completion rate.
Anywhere near that would have been fantastic production for Tulane. Now, there is a chance that he will miss this season, putting the focus on the other options they brought in from the portal.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kadin Semonza from the Ball State Cardinals is the most experienced passer on the roster behind Finley.
Semonza played in 12 games for the Cardinals last year. He completed 64.4% of his passes for 2,904 yards with 25 touchowns to 10 interceptions.
He was the MAC Freshman of the Year last year. If he could build up on that first year, then there is potential to lead a solid offense with the Green Wave.
Adding in the staple Tulane run game, more should open up for Semonza than there was at Ball State.
Donovan Leary from the Illinois Fighting Illini was the last of the big three additions that they made from the transfer portal at quarterback.
Leary was a three-star recruit both out of high school and the portal. He has only thrown five passes in his career, so there is less known about him.
While this isn't the deepest quarterback room in the country, there is some potential. It will certainly be hard for them to live up to the heightened standard that the Green Wave have become accustomed to under center.
