BREAKING: Mustangs QB Finch retires from football

LONDON, Ont. – Western Mustangs quarterback Will Finch announced Thursday that he will not return for his fifth season of CIS eligibility and has decided to retire as an active football player. He is scheduled to graduate from Western’s Faculty of Social Science in the spring.

“After discussions with my family, friends, medical staff and coaches, I’ve decided to end my football-playing career,” said Finch. “As hard as it is to stop playing a sport I grew up wanting to play professionally, my health is very important to me and considering that, along with other factors, I believe this is the right decision for me. Head injuries are serious and after suffering from them, it is not worth further risk.

“I’ve had the opportunity to be coached by many great coaches who have taught me important life lessons of being humble while holding great discipline. I’ve also have had the opportunity to play with great players who not only are teammates but are also my friends. I want to thank Western for everything it’s done, it is a great program and has helped shape me into the man I am today. Football will always play a big part in my life. Everything the game has given me, I intend to give back to football, through opportunities that may develop in areas such as coaching and training.”

“We’re happy to support Will in this decision,” said Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall. “The health and well-being of our players is always our number one priority. Will has had an outstanding career here at Western and he’s been a big part of our program for the past few years. He’ll continue to be a member of the Mustangs football family as an alumnus, when he graduates from Western this spring.”

Hailing from Burlington, Ontario, Finch was one of the nation’s most highly sought after recruits coming out of Nelson High School in 2012. He put together an impressive playing resume before even arriving at Western, leading his Nelson Lords team to an undefeated 12-0 record and a Golden Horseshoe Bowl title in 2011.

He then went on to lead the World Team to its first ever victory in the International Bowl, defeating Team USA 35-29 in February, completing 11 of 14 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns in the win. That wasn’t his only international experience however, as he led the Canadian National Junior team to its first ever gold medal at the International Federation of American Football U-19 World Championship in Austin, Texas, alongside fellow Mustang Kadeem Adams.

Just prior to reporting to Western for his first season, he participated in the Canadian Football League’s Canadian quarterback development program, attending training camp with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Taking over as starter midway through his rookie season, Finch put up fantastic numbers throughout his CIS career, and racked up numerous awards including being twice named the OUA’s Most Valuable Player in 2013 and 2015. He is also a two-time CIS Second Team All-Canadian and a three-time OUA All-Star, earning First Team honours in 2013 and 2015, and a spot on the Second Team in 2014.

Perhaps his best season came in 2013 in only his second year in the league, when he led the Mustangs to a perfect 8-0 record and the 30th Yates Cup title in program history. His 3,047 yards passing set an OUA record, surpassing the mark previously set by former Mustangs pivot Michael Faulds, and he also established a new OUA milestone for completion percentage, going 191 for 274 to connect on 69.7% of his passes.

Overall, throughout his four seasons as a Mustang, Finch played in 30 regular season games and completed 533 of 790 passes for 8,243 yards with 57 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He was also adept at running the ball, totaling 1,251 yards on 190 carries with 16 touchdowns.

His numbers were just as strong in six career playoff contests, completing 109 of 168 passes for 1,372 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also racked up 326 yards rushing on 51 carries.

Finch finishes his university career as one of the top quarterbacks in Mustangs history, with his 8,243 passing yards ranking third among all Western players and 21st on the CIS all-time leaderboard. His 3,047 yards from 2013 and 2,616 yards from 2015 are the first and fourth highest single season totals in Western football history, and rank fourth and 16th on the CIS charts as well.