Tulane suspends transfer QB TJ Finley following his arrest for alleged possession of a stolen truck

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tulane transfer quarterback TJ Finley has been suspended from the team indefinitely following his arrest for alleged possession of a stolen pickup truck.

Finley's attorneys say the quarterback was defrauded by those who sold him the vehicle and is cooperating with authorities.

The 23-year-old Finley was released without having to post bond after being booked Wednesday with possession of stolen goods valued at $25,000 or more.

Tulane issued a statement saying Finley has been suspended pending the outcome of his case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 1.

The university declined to comment further, citing federal student privacy laws.

Finley's attorneys, in a statement Thursday, said the player was a “victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam.”

Attorneys David I. Courcelle and Scott C. Stansbury said Finley purchased a used pickup truck from a person representing himself as being from Mountain Adventures LLC and was provided a bill of sale and registration.

Finley had “every reason to believe the purchase was legitimate,” his lawyers said.

Within three days, however, police informed Finley that the truck had been reported stolen, they said.

The attorneys said that Finley continues to cooperate with authorities and wants to recover his lost funds and clear his name.

The Green Wave conducted spring practice without Finley on Thursday, when all QB duties were handled by two other transfers, Kadin Semonza from Ball State and Donovan Leary from Illinois.

After practice, coach Jon Sumrall briefly addressed Finley's suspension with reporters, largely deferring to the university's official statement but adding, "When guys make mistakes, then they have to have accountability.”

Finley is now with his fifth college football program. He transferred to Tulane after spending last season with Western Kentucky, where he played in just three games before an ankle injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.

That allowed him to take a redshirt and preserve his final season of eligibility.

The Ponchatoula, Louisiana, native began his college career at LSU in 2020. He transferred to Auburn in 2021 and spent two seasons there before moving in 2023 to Texas State, where he passed for a career-best 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns.

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