OXFORD — Dequan Finn had a dose of Miami University football before coming to Oxford.
The sixth-year senior transfer from Baylor is settling in during spring workouts as one of the newest RedHawks on the roster.
“I like what I see so far,” Finn said. “We’re high-energy. The talent is there for sure. It’s not a secret. I just feel like we’re gelling — we’re coming along. I just feel like we keep stacking good days, and we’ll be good.
“I played against Miami twice — not once, but twice. I know the coaches here. I know the coaching that comes along with it at Miami. I know that they want to win. That’s one thing that they harp on the most and in every aspect of life. That was the two main factors for me.”
Finn played four seasons at Toledo before leaving for Baylor a year ago. He completed just 23 of 43 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns with the Bears.
During his time as a Rocket, Finn was the 2023 Vern Smith Leadership winner as the Mid-American Conference’s Most Valuable Player, earned first-team All-MAC in 2023 and earned second-team All-MAC in 2022. He played in 45 career games, throwing for 7,074 yards and 63 touchdowns while rushing for 1,840 yards and 25 scores on the ground.
“I had a down year last year,” Finn said. “New page now. New story, new season now — 2025. New team. We’re just trying to gel, just trying to get as close to this team as possible. That’s the main goal right now and obviously winning every game.”
Finn said the focus for him personally is to use his experience to help Miami elevate to the next level.
“You can see the hunger for sure within everybody — the running backs, receivers, O-line, myself as well in the quarterback room,” Finn said. “Everyone is hungry. You can just sense that everyone has something to prove, and that’s one thing that I like and love about this team. Everyone is hungry, everyone is not complacent.
“Like you see, everyone is working on their craft in some way, shape or form. That’s one thing I like and that’s one thing we’re going to get better at and continue to get better at. Keep stacking those days, each and every day just so we can get the timing, the gelling and the chemistry to combine.”
Miami coach Chuck Martin likes what Finn has provided during spring workouts.
“The offseason it starts, he’s super hard working — weight room, conditioning, wants to come in and learn the offense,” Martin said of Finn. “He always tries to spend extra time. So right away he fits in here because all of our guys do extra. He wants to do extra.
“As spring has gone on, is he learning our system? Yes. We have a big system. We’re learning him just as much as he’s learning us. We’re going to piece this thing together around whoever our quarterback is — just like we’ve always done.”
Finn said he understands his dual-threat abilities and plans on using them.
“As a quarterback, I’m going to throw it well,” Finn said. “I’m going to pass first to them, and my second option is to run. When I see it, I’m going to take off.”
Finn calls it a full-circle moment wearing a RedHawks jersey.
He went 16 of 28 for 160 years and two touchdowns and rushed for 34 yards and a score in Toledo’s 21-17 win at Yager Stadium on Oct. 21, 2023. Finn also faced the RedHawks in the 2023 MAC championship game, completing 18 of 36 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 33 yards and another score.
“It’s different playing against him,” Finn said of working under Martin as head coach. “But when you’re playing with him, we love him. He’s a competitor. You can just tell with his passion and with his craft. That’s one thing that I like. That’s what gets you going when you see a coach that is all in and behind you each and every day. He makes me want to go through a brick wall for him.”
