T.J. Finley is still firmly listed as a commit to LSU, but he wanted to get out and visit other schools. Last weekend he took his first official visit to Kansas for the spring football game.
“It was good,” Finley said. “They treated me well. It was my first official visit, so I didn't know what to expect. They definitely set the bar high. I didn't know what I expected another school would do for me. It was a great experience. We had a lot of fun and I got to meet a lot of people. With it being a spring game, a lot of the players that are in the NFL came back to watch the game, so I got a chance to meet them also.”
Finley started the visit on Friday and left Sunday. The four-star quarterback got a lot of time around the Kansas coaching staff and that included several minutes during the spring game.
“From a coaching standpoint, they were talking to me the whole game,” Finley said. “Mainly the whole game, and then after, talking about what they were trying to do, and things like that. They just treated me like they needed me as part of their program. Needed me to be a part of their program. It was very good.”
Kansas running backs coach Tony Hull is working as the lead recruiter for Finley and Les Miles has been active in the recruiting process.
“They've done a great job,” Finley said. “They've done a very good job selling me to come to their school. Knowing Coach Hull, he's from my area, so we've connected on a lot of stuff that we've talked about. So, with him being from this area, and talking to me, and being able to relate to some of the stuff that happens down here, that was very good, from a recruiting standpoint.
“And then Coach Miles, we talk all the time, so the relationship I quickly built with him is good.”
Finley, a four-star quarterback, wasn’t the only one in his family to get the recruiting pitch from the Kansas staff. His younger brother Kody picked up a scholarship offer.
Kody is a tall, wide receiver prospect and only a freshman. But T.J. believes his brother has all the skills it takes to play at the next level.
“When we are at home working out, I throw it as hard as I can to him, just to see where how he does and he catches every one,” T.J. said of his brother. “I'm not over exaggerating. I have video of him catching my hardest balls. He has very strong hands, and for KU to offer him, it's so good, because I know that I'm helping my brother to have an opportunity at the next level.”
Finley enjoyed the spring game that kicked under the lights followed by a performance from Rick Ross. His mother and father were also with him on the official visit.
“They loved it,” he said. “They liked the family atmosphere. That's what they're all about. Making sure that if they send me off to a college, that I'm going to be taken care of, from a family standpoint. And then, also get business done.
“They loved the way the coaches reacted with the kids, like sons. Basically, they took the players under their wings, because they know not all of them are home town players. So all of the coaches take care of them.”