Finch eager to play for IU

Jerimy Finch had no idea whether the NCAA would rule in his favor. All he knew was he wanted to suit up in a cream and crimson uniform.

After he applied for reinstatement, he was given that chance.

“I was very excited,” Finch said. “I called my friends back home, my grandmother, first of all. All together, you couldn’t be more excited over that.”

Finch’s 2007 season with Florida ended prematurely when he broke his leg only three games into the season. Initially, while he was a recruit, Finch gave a verbal commitment to IU before he backed out and signed with the Gators.

But following his injury, Finch decided it was best to return home. The only question that remained was if he could play in 2008 for a secondary that lost its top two cornerbacks but returns some depth at safety.

On Thursday, the NCAA informed IU that Finch, who was widely considered one of the top safety recruits in the nation, could play this year. It is a move that gives the Hoosiers a plethora of options within their secondary.

At Florida, Finch converted to linebacker. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 215 pounds, Finch’s addition allows the Hoosiers to use several different types of packages and keeps junior starting safeties Austin Thomas and Nick Polk fresh.

“With Finch, because he played linebacker at Florida, we can put him in a nickel situation where he’s almost down at a linebacker level,” said co-defensive coordinator Joe Palcic. “We have different packages already where we’re doing different thing. It makes our packages better and gives us more depth.”

Finch’s versatility is one of his strengths. Aside from defense, Finch will work on special teams with the kickoff unit, and his combination of speed and agility makes him an intriguing option as a punt returner.

“He’s a rangy, big athlete,” Palcic said, “and usually, guys that are that size, you don’t see that kind of quickness and explosion.”

However, because Finch missed most of fall practice and the last year, he essentially comes into the same situation as most freshmen.

Palcic said Finch is still a little behind, in terms of learning the defense. As the year progresses, though, he sees Finch as a viable asset on a team that hopes to make a statement in the Big Ten.

“Every system is a little bit different, and he really played linebacker at Florida, and he is playing safety here,” said IU coach Bill Lynch. “So, to be back there, there are different reads and different things to our coverages. ... But he is going to find his niche.”

Palcic added Finch will eventually play for the Hoosiers in the backfield, but he’s simply not ready to get thrown into the mix.

“But he’s not able to beat anybody out right now,” Palcic said. “We have better players, and we’re going to play the best guys whether it’s Jerimy Finch, the four-star best safety in the country coming out of high school, or the best safety on the football team right now.”