In today’s Fact or Fiction, Rivals.com National Columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
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1. Hudson Card is the best fit for a Steve Sarkisian offense.
FARRELL'S TAKE: FICTION
Both Hudson Card and Casey Thompson have skillsets that work well with Steve Sarkisian's offense and Thompson showed off his ability and accuracy last year in the Alamo Bowl. Sarkisian did wonders with Mac Jones and Tua Tagovaioloa, who also have different skillsets and this offense will be tailored around whoever wins the job.
So why do I ask? Because there has been a lot of talk about how high the new staff is on Card but I don’t think that has anything to do with scheme fit. Most agreed with me on Inside The 40 Acres message board on our Texas site Orangebloods.com as well, saying Sark is the QB whisperer and either would be a fit.
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2. James Franklin will make the playoff at Penn State.
FARRELL'S TAKE: FACT
I’m saying this because Penn State should have made the playoff in 2016 when it won the Big Ten, beat Ohio State and was snubbed for the Buckeyes and Washington. Franklin can lead this team to another season like that but the caveat is he needs the playoff to expand to eight teams. And I think it will.
Ohio State is hard to beat in the Big Ten and even when you do you can get screwed as we saw in 2016, but a second team from the Big Ten is likely with an expanded format. And fans at The Lions Den at our Penn State site BlueWhiteIllustrated.com agree that a larger playoff pool is needed for Franklin with where Ohio State is.
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3. DeVonta Smith should be drafted ahead of Jaylen Waddle.
FARRELL'S TAKE: FACT
DeVonta Smith is projected to go ahead of Jaylen Waddle in most mock drafts but some have the Heisman winner slipping behind his teammate because of speed and size questions. While I like Waddle and what he can do after the catch and in the return game, Smith has proven time and time again how unstoppable he is despite not being as fast or big as others.
Tony Tsoukalas at our Alabama site BamaInsider.com agrees with me and notes that Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison became great without blazing speed. The Harrison comparison is the one I like the best.
