In today’s Fact or Fiction national columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether each statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
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1. Art Briles should be back in college football. Â
Farrell’s take: FICTION. This hiring shouldn’t have happened, and shame on Grambling State and Hue Jackson. Briles was at the center of an awful sexual misconduct scandal at Baylor, and it seems there is enough proof to show he didn’t do nearly enough about any of it. Second chances? Not in this situation. He should never be around college players or students again, and I’m puzzled why this hire occurred.
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2. Jayden Daniels will end up at Missouri. Â
Farrell’s take: FACT. This is what I am hearing anyhow, and it could break by the time you read this. Daniels left Arizona State for different reasons depending on who you talk to. He either fell out of favor and was set to lose his job (unlikely) or he left as ASU continues to lose coaches to the NCAA investigation around breaking COVID restrictions in 2020.
Either way, he has competition with Sam Horn at Mizzou but his life experience is invaluable, and in this day and age he’s a tremendous get despite his regression from his freshman year.
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3. The best former head coach hire this offseason is Mark Whipple.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. I like Whipple and think he’ll be solid at Nebraska, but to me it’s ... Al Golden. You expected me to say Charlie Strong, huh? Strong is a natural fit recruiting at Miami but let’s not forget that Golden was one of the best recruiters in the country as an assistant, and he’s perfect for Notre Dame as he’s hit the Midwest Catholic schools while at Boston College and at other stops.
