National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. The Ivy League's decision to shut down fall sports will lead to FBS football shutting down as well.
Farrell’s take: FACT. This is very bad news. Why? Because the Ivy League was the first to shut down back in March when the coronavirus pandemic first swept across the United States and we live in a peer pressure society. Yes, I know that the Ivy League loses money on athletics and FBS schools rely on the profits from college football to fund so many things but the optics just don’t look good right now.
Many sources that I’ve talked to feel that a decision will come this month and, unless there is a radical change in public perception about COVID-19 cases being on the rise, the season will at least be pushed back if not postponed altogether. While the Big Ten has a plan for a conference-only season, football is still doubtful. I have never hoped to be more wrong than I am on this, but I’m not feeling optimistic.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. This is definitely not encouraging news and I’m fearful that the Power Five conferences are probably headed in this direction as well but I was actually encouraged by the Big Ten's statement of playing only conference games. At least it's something for the fall that we can build upon and look forward to.
Beginning in January sounds like wishful thinking since that’s going to be the heart of flu season as well as COVID-19 possibly picking up again, so that could be a difficult time as well. The fact is deaths continue to decline even with cases going up. This is not the forum to have a much larger discussion about what that means, but at some point the decision-makers in college sports need to determine what risks they’re willing to take and what risks are acceptable because college kids cannot live in a bubble forever. We’re either going to live our lives and move on carefully and sensibly or we’re not until a vaccine arrives - and there’s no definitive answer on that timeline yet.
It’s very concerning. A fall cancellation was already on the table for Power Five commissioners before the Ivy League jumped first. If we have to do conference-only games, I'm fine with it. At least it's a step in the direction of playing football again.
2. USC is still the team to beat for Korey Foreman.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The nation’s No. 1 prospect released his top seven on Wednesday with USC, Oregon, Clemson, Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Howard University making the cut. Since his decommitment from Clemson, the Trojans have been thought to be the team to beat because of proximity to home. However, Oregon has had some recent momentum here and are a real threat to keep him on the West Coast. You can’t count out the SEC programs either and Howard is obviously a long shot wild card, but this looks like a USC vs. Oregon competition with the rest trailing. And that means USC has lost a bit of its edge.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. I’m not sold USC has the biggest edge in his recruitment anymore, although the Trojans are right in the thick of things with Oregon and others. Georgia is the most interesting one to watch in the SEC - especially if he and fellow five-star and friend Maason Smith still plan to play together - but I’ve been told the Pac-12 programs are in the best shape here.
The Ducks have been incredibly successful recruiting top talent out of Southern California and while USC has a great recruiting class and gets its fair share of talent, my guess right now is that Oregon slightly leads here but the Trojans are definitely right there, too.
3. Nebraska found a sleeper in LaDarius Webb Jr.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I know he looks small on film and could be smaller than the listed 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, but the bloodlines lead me to believe this is a prospect worth taking a chance on. His dad, LaDarius Webb Sr., was also a bit undersized, but was still fast and strong enough to be drafted in the third round and carve out a nice nine-year career in the NFL. Dad played safety and was known as a guy who can run and liked to hit and his son has some of those same traits.
He’s moving to Mississippi so he can be coached and developed by his father. Webb Sr. played with Nebraska defensive backs coach Travis Fisher briefly with the Ravens and is unlikely to sell him on his son without a lot of truth in the mix. Remember Webb Sr. was a skinny two-star corner out of Alabama back in 2007 and turned out to be much better than that. The same could happen for his son.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Webb is an interesting prospect. He comes from good football stock, he has very impressive junior film and now he’s going to be playing at Jackson (Miss.) Jackson Academy after being in Alabama for his junior season. He is quick, smooth and dynamic but the new Nebraska commit will have to gain some weight to have a huge impact in the Big Ten against physical receivers. I like his chances and I wouldn’t be surprised to see SEC schools to make a run at him.
