Fact or Fiction: Texas fans should be worried about 4-4 start
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. Texas fans should be concerned about the Longhorns' 4-4 start.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. The offense has been solid and I see signs of improvement. This is a team that needs help on defense in order to hold on to leads, but Texas fans shouldn’t be concerned just yet. Adjustments are always needed in year one with a new staff, and the preseason expectations were likely a bit high for this team.
Losing to solid Baylor and Oklahoma State teams isn’t the worst thing, and to me it feels like the program is going in the right direction – but defensive recruiting needs to be a priority.
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2. P.J. Fleck is worth the big extension.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Just last week I mentioned that Fleck was no longer a hot name in coaching circles like he was when he first started to row the boat at Minnesota. And while that’s true, Fleck is worth extending to 2028 at roughly $5 million a year for the Gophers.
They likely wouldn’t be able to upgrade from him, and he has Minnesota once again in the mix for the Big Ten West, as they were a couple years ago. The Gophers were a big disappointment last season at 3-4 following an 11-2 record. But he has them back on track and the Gophers' brain trust knows it. He’s about to become a hot name again.
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3. Jerry Azzinaro has to go at UCLA.
Farrell’s take: FACT. This kind of annoys me. Defensive lineman Jay Toia, a transfer from USC, is in hot water for a viral video in which he threatened people and wouldn’t allow them to leave an elevator. And in the aftermath, defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro is nowhere to be found. Why? Because Azzinaro won’t talk to the media, so his longtime friend Chip Kelly, the head coach, has to take this heat.
That would be fine if the UCLA defense was any good, but it’s horrible. UCLA gives up 28 points a game and the Bruins have given up 44 points to Utah, 34 to Oregon, 42 to Arizona State and 40 to Fresno State in losses.
Azzinaro is as old school as they come, but those old school ways don’t work when your players speak to the media and their coach won’t. A change needs to be made.