In the six years since the NCAA changed its transfer rules and allowed players unlimited transfers, we’ve seen a handful of players take advantage and transfer more than once.
Some players have transferred twice. A smaller number have moved three times.
However, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback TJ Finley announced over the weekend that he plans to transfer for a fourth time.
Thank You WKU #themarathoncontinues
pic.twitter.com/2xc6ISDwRc
— TJ Finley
(@tj_finley1) December 7, 2024
How is Finley still eligible for two additional seasons despite three previous transfers? He started his collegiate career with the LSU Tigers in the 2020 season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was deemed free for all players who suited up, not counting against their eligibility.
Finley also qualified for a medical redshirt this season after missing all but three games for the Hilltoppers. He suffered a lower leg injury early in WKU’s 49-21 win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
After his freshman year at LSU, Finley transferred to Auburn, starting six total games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The team went 2-4 in Finley’s six starts.
The quarterback went 103-for-180 for 1,258 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions in his time with the Auburn Tigers.
Following the 2022 season, Finley transferred to the Texas State Bobcats, where he started all 13 games in 2023 and went 8-5.
It was a tremendous season for the signal caller, as he went 279-for-414 for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdown passes, along with five rushing touchdowns for the Bobcats.
After the season, Finley announced plans to transfer again, bringing him to Western Kentucky.
As Finley noted in his post he will have two years of eligibility remaining as he joins an increasingly more crowded portal.
