Rutgers Hires Eric Finney as Cornerbacks Coach, Reuniting with DC Travis Johansen
Rutgers football continues to build out its coaching staff under Greg Schiano, and the latest addition brings both Big Ten playing experience and a strong track record of player development. Eric Finney has officially been named the Scarlet Knights’ new cornerbacks coach, reuniting with defensive coordinator Travis Johansen after a successful stint together at South Dakota in 2025.
Finney's coaching resume is quietly impressive, especially when it comes to developing talent in the secondary. At South Dakota, he helped guide the Coyotes to a 10-5 season and a second-place finish in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
That run included three straight wins over ranked opponents to close out the regular season and a dominant 47-0 shutout of Mercer in the FCS Playoffs. The Coyotes finished the year ranked No. 9 nationally by Stats Perform.
Under Finney’s watch, South Dakota’s cornerback duo made serious noise. Mikey Munn, in his first year as a starter, led the MVFC with five interceptions-good for third in the entire FCS-and earned Second Team All-America honors from FCS Football Central.
He also added 10 pass breakups, showing the kind of ball-hawking instincts coaches dream about. On the other side, freshman RJ Stewart made an immediate impact, notching three interceptions and seven breakups to earn Freshman All-American recognition.
As a unit, the defense finished 22nd in the nation with 12 picks-no small feat in a league known for physical, grind-it-out football.
Finney’s connection with Johansen clearly worked at South Dakota, and now the duo will look to bring that same defensive edge to Rutgers. For Schiano, it’s another move that points to a clear emphasis on building a fast, aggressive, and technically sound secondary.
Before his time in Vermillion, Finney spent 2024 at Cincinnati in a quality control role, assisting with the defensive backs. While he wasn’t in an on-field coaching position, he was hands-on in positional meetings and behind the scenes with the Bearcats’ DBs, helping to shape the game plan and prep the unit week to week.
But it was at Iowa Western Community College where Finney really cut his teeth as a coach. Over six seasons (2018-2023), he served as the defensive backs coach, special teams coordinator, and eventually pass game coordinator. That stretch included two national championships and three title game appearances-proof that Finney knows what it takes to win and how to prepare players to perform on big stages.
His coaching journey began at Concordia University, Chicago, where he worked as a graduate assistant from 2016 to 2017. Even then, the signs were there: he helped lead the top pass defense in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2016 and coached two all-conference selections.
As a player, Finney brings Big Ten credibility to the table. He played three seasons at Illinois (2013-2015), logging 35 games and racking up 70 tackles.
His senior year was particularly strong-eight starts, 35 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and three pass breakups. He also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors twice and served as a team captain in 2015, reflecting both leadership and consistency on and off the field.
Finney earned his bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Illinois in 2015 and followed that up with a master’s in sports leadership from Concordia University, Chicago in 2017.
For Rutgers, this hire checks a lot of boxes. Finney brings a blend of on-field experience, coaching versatility, and a proven ability to elevate young defensive backs. He’s worked in multiple systems, developed All-Americans, and now returns to the Big Ten with a chance to make an impact in one of college football’s most competitive conferences.
Keep an eye on Rutgers’ secondary in the coming seasons-if Finney’s past is any indication, this group could be on the rise.