In today’s Fact or Fiction, Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
1. Mario Cristobal would take the USC job.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. USC fans are excited about the potential and Oregon fans are a little nervous but forget about it. He’s not going there. Why would Cristobal leave a better job in the West for a rebuild when he could stay in the Pac-12 and continue to win titles and steal recruits? It makes no sense. Miami, where he played, or Alabama make sense but not USC.
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2. USC will return to prominence with a huge hire.
Farrell’s take: FACT. It’s simply a program that can’t stay down for too long. It’s too much of a layup recruiting-wise and with the tradition. Now of course you could say the same about Miami and Texas and those programs are still down, but USC is honestly easier than either. James Franklin or a hire on that level would bring the Trojans right back to national prominence.
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3. Derek Stingley Jr is falling on draft boards.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. People love to put down great defensive backs and they love to point out their flaws. Ask anyone who doesn’t like Stingley Jr. and they will point to Devonta Smith owning him while he was hurt. So after a couple of bad games where his effort has been questioned, are scouts souring on him? Nope. He’s still a top 10 pick like he always was and the same thing happened to Jadeveon Clowney and others who didn’t have their best season in year three. Clowney still ended up No. 1 overall and Stingley Jr. will be top 10 and possibly top five. Book it.
