Andrean sophomore Jimmy Finley has taken a matter-of-fact approach to playing safety.
“I’m having fun with it,” he said.
And why not?
Finley played wide receiver on the junior varsity team last season. His previous experience on defense came at cornerback.
So he has been enjoying the learning process.
Andrean coach Chris Skinner has enjoyed watching Finley’s growth too.
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“Each week, it’s been defined by continual improvement,” Skinner said. “He’s such a good, natural athlete, and the goal has been pairing up technique with that athleticism. He’s been naturally good in pass coverage.
“He’s just a very intelligent individual, so he understands the game. He can kind of see the way a pass concept is designed in front of him, so he can be proactive and think ahead.”
Those skills have helped Finley record five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, as the 59ers (7-3) travel to play a Class 2A sectional championship game against Bremen (7-4) on Friday. He also has 49 tackles.
It’s in that latter area where Finley has made the biggest strides. Skinner noted that especially with Andrean’s mix of opponents, with pass-oriented teams that operate out of the spread and run-heavy teams that prefer to grind it out, players such as Finley can’t be one-dimensional.
“We ask our safeties to be physical in-the-box defenders, and he’s gotten more and more physical,” Skinner said. “It’s an important position because they have to be those dual defenders, be able to cover the pass and also be able to fill in the run game. He’s gotten much better at the run game, filling and tackling technique. It’s been nice to watch that progression.”
It hasn’t hurt that the 6-foot-1, 150-pound Finley grew 3 inches and gained 20 pounds since last season. Toward the end, during Andrean’s run to a state title, he earned playing time on special teams.
“He was working his way on special teams in the playoffs,” Skinner said. “Even as a freshman, we could see this kid could be something special. We could see the talent was there. He works hard. That progression has taken place over the last two seasons.”
Given his production and potential, Finley was invited to participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl National Combine in January in San Antonio, the same weekend and location senior linebacker Drayk Bowen, a Notre Dame recruit, will be playing in the game.
“I didn’t know I was going to be this good at it,” Finley said. “I thought I’d be better at wide receiver. But I took it on.
“I’ve been tracking the ball well. I’ve also been reading my keys, trying to get through the alley and making form-fit tackles.”
Finley also plays basketball and had a successful debut season in track, placing eighth in a regional in the 110-meter hurdles in the spring.
He can draw inspiration from his brother Daveon, who handily won the state title in that event as a Portage senior in 2017. Daveon Finley, who also played some wide receiver, had a standout track career at Pittsburgh.
“I want to be better than him,” Jimmy Finley said. “I was talking to him, and he was saying my times are faster than his when he was a freshman. He kept saying that. So I said I’m going to try to be better than him.”
For now, Finley is taking it season by season, focusing on whatever sport he’s playing at the moment.
“He’s a very dynamic athlete, obviously,” Skinner said.