MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones announced Friday that Ameriol (pronounced ah-MEER-ee-ole) Finley, who quarterbacked Spanish Fort High School to a state championship this fall, has signed a grant-in-aid and will enroll in school next month.
Finley — who is 6-foot-1 and weighs 185 pounds — is slated to play in the defensive secondary when the Jaguars begin spring practice next semester. He will join junior-college transfers Kennedy Helms and Gabe Loper as newcomers starting school in January.
“Ameriol is a great athlete and an elusive runner who makes people miss. He’s also very versatile in that he can play a lot of different positions,” Jones commented. “I think he can play anything including slot receiver, running back or defensive back; he has that kind of ability.
“And he’s also a great leader who helped his team to a state championship. When you meet him you can tell he is one of those guys who is special with many leadership qualities.”
In the Toros’ 14-0 victory over Briarwood Christian High in the Alabama state 5A title contest, Finley carried 37 times for 174 yards while scoring both touchdowns for SFHS on runs of nine and three yards to earn most valuable player honors. In fact, he would rush for multiple touchdowns in four of the team’s five postseason games after reaching the end zone three times on three occasions, and he would account for four scores in victories over Hueytown H.S. in the quarterfinals and McAdory High in the semifinals the following week. Finley would end up averaging 157.2 yards per game rushing in the playoffs.
In his only season at the school, Finley gained 1,557 yards and collected 26 touchdowns on 161 carries while completing 52-of-82 attempts for 723 yards and nine touchdowns. He was chosen the Offensive Player of the Year by the Cellular South 1st & 10 Club after helping the Toros to a 13-2 finish.
Prior to transferring to SFHS, he accounted for more than 1,800 yards of total offense as a sophomore at Beauregard High, highlighted by a performance in a 33-14 victory over Rehobeth H.S. in which he ran for 149 yards and two scores and threw for another 193 yards and another touchdown.
He was also recruited by Southern Mississippi and Memphis.
Finley will join a program that has gone undefeated in each of its first two seasons after completing a 10-0 campaign in 2010. The Jags will begin a two-year transition to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) level in 2011, and be eligible to compete for the Sun Belt Conference championship and a bowl berth in the fall of ‘13.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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