Fact or Fiction: Games should be played without fans if necessary
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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FACT OR FICTION: Auburn is a sleeper to watch in recruiting
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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1. Games should be played without fans if necessary.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. This can’t happen. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick came out and said he didn’t want to see college football games without fans and I agree. College football is all about the traditions, fans, bands and cheerleaders as much as anything and empty stadium games would be horrible. Is it better than nothing? No, it’s not. I love college football like no one else but I don’t want to see teams playing in front of no one. That’s not college football.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Not only would this be beyond depressing and sad to watch, even the thought of doing this is terrible from a public relations standpoint. So it would not be safe enough for fans to be inside the stadiums but it would be fine for players to be tackling each other, spitting water on the sidelines, sweating on each other and using towels that are just thrown on benches? Coaches like Mike Gundy are not factoring in the health consequences of exactly what’s going on here. Games should not be played until medical professionals are confident no one – fans, coaches, players, officials, everyone – would be just as safe as the 2019 season.
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2. USC will have a bounce-back class.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Well, sort of. Will it be a Pete Carroll class ranked in the national top five? That’s doubtful but it will certainly be better than last year’s embarrassing No. 65 finish. The Trojans are No. 10 in the country thanks to recent commits from RB Brandon Campbell and DB Xamarion Gordon and they should easily finish in the top 20 overall. They will need to keep some bigger names from California, something they were unable to do last year, but that will come in time as well. Of course, all bets are off if Clay Helton is fired.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Five of the top six players in the state of California are already committed and only one is pledged to USC so that’s worrisome. But the Trojans are still pursuing five-star Korey Foreman, four-star Raesjon Davis and their new coaches have been much more aggressive in 2021 than with that below-average 2020 class. The new additions of Donte Williams, Todd Orlando and others to the staff have been huge. The Trojans won’t contend for the team recruiting title but they could end up with the Pac-12’s best class again. Helton’s future could sway things once that’s settled after this season.
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3. Dabo Swinney has replaced Nick Saban as the biggest name coach in college football.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. It’s close, much closer than people might think, but Nick Saban still sets the bar. Why did I choose this topic? Because there has been so much media hatred toward Dabo Swinney over the last few months that shows he’s made it near the top. The more they criticize you, the better you are, and I feel he could surpass Saban in a couple of years when it comes to clout.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Saban is arguably the best college football coach of all-time so until he retires he will hold that mantle but I will say that Swinney might now be the best recruiting head coach out there. Also, he and his staff could be the best developers of NFL talent. That part is close between Saban and Swinney but in terms of the biggest name in the sport, it’s still definitely Saban. When recruits meet him it’s like a mythical experience sometimes and no other coach can claim that yet.