Finner to Utah

Standing out in the hot Texas sun while talking to Plano East offensive lineman Louis Finner, it’s easy to see why he said the weather in Utah played a part in his decision to commit to the Utes’ football program.

But for Finner, there were so many other major reasons he decided Utah was the best place for him to continue his playing career.

“Utah was the first campus I toured, and I was really impressed with it,” Finner said. “I felt comfortable there, and I was glad to see that they put such an emphasis on academics. Plus, it didn’t hurt that several of their offensive lineman are graduating after this season.”

After also weighing offers from SMU and Iowa St., Finner made the commitment to Utah last week. He said making the decision before the season started was key, because it takes a lot of the pressure off and allows him to worry less.

Finner decided against attending Iowa St. because he was afraid of being bored, and he decided against SMU because he didn’t want to stay in the area.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like it here, but I wanted to go somewhere a little farther away. Branch out, and have the opportunity to become my own man,” Finner said. “It might be hard on my family, and my mom could get a bit of empty nest syndrome, but I think this is what was best for me.”

Finner said that Utah was the first team to contact him, which occurred immediately after the completion of his junior season. After sending in a highlight tape, Finner said the Utes made an offer.

“Utah told me that I was the first offensive lineman they contacted, and that I was their guy,” Finner said. “I think Utah will also give me the opportunity to get out onto the field and get some playing time.”

Although Finner may not be as publicized as Keenan Robinson, Chris Slater and some of the other Plano East players, at least one person was not surprised at all that Division I universities were interested in Finner.

“Louis is a physical lineman with good feet and great size,” Plano East Head Coach Johnny Ringo said. “If I was coaching college football, he is exactly the kind of kid I would be looking for.”

Finner repeatedly said how big of a role academics played in his decision to commit to the Utes. While at Utah, Finner said he hopes to major in business with a minor in law.

Despite already making his college commitment, that doesn’t mean that Finner is looking past his senior season with the Panthers. When Plano East takes the field for its first game of the season, they will have a quarterback making his first varsity start at the position.

Finner said no matter what happens; the key to a team’s success is game planning. He added that if the offensive line plays well, any one of the three quarterback candidates should have success for the Panthers in the upcoming season.

“We may not get that much notoriety, but it’s the offensive line that makes everything go,” Finner said. “We are in one of the toughest districts in Texas, but our team has a lot of returning starters, and I think everyone is prepared and confident.”

In his senior season, Finner said there are still plenty of things he wants to work on before heading off to Utah.

“I want to develop more of a dominant technique. And of course, I am constantly working on my footwork,” Finner said. “Those are the types of things that can make an offensive lineman great.”

If his career at Plano East is any indication, Finner is on his way to achieving that very goal.

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