In today’s Fact or Fiction National Columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether each statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
*****
MORE FACT OR FICTION: USC will flip Oklahoma commit Raleek Brown | TJ Finley will choose Auburn
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals100
RIVALS TRANSFER TRACKER: Stories/coverage | Message board
RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info/coverage on 2021 camp series
*****
1. Jimbo Fisher is to blame for the current state of FSU football. Â
Farrell’s take: FACT. A recent article on Warchant.com about the 2018 recruiting class was astounding. Only seven players remain from that 21-player top 10 class after the recent departure of Chaz Neal. And that was the transition class from Jimbo Fisher to Willie Taggart, if you remember. And Taggart, who was hired in December of 2017, had to scramble to put that class together with the majority of those commitments coming after he was hired. Why? Jimbo stopped recruiting because he knew he was on his way out.
The recruiting efforts for the 2018 class under Fisher were bad, to say the least, and the mad scramble at the end helped lead to a disastrous class. Taggart was over his head at FSU in many ways, but this is a class that has killed the Noles on the field, and this one is on Fisher.
*****
2. With George Pickens out, Garrett Wilson is WR1 in 2021. Â
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Settle down Ohio State fans. I’m going with Chris Olave as the No. 1 receiver after hearing about his added bulk and the next level he’s reaching physically. He came back to be WR1 and to win a national title, and he’s clearly focused on that, from all I hear.
It’s an interesting wide receiver year for sure with Pickens possibly returning earlier than expected, Justyn Ross coming back from injury and a slew of wide receivers making their case for top dog honors.
But give me Olave and that offense please.
*****
3. The breakout college football defender this year will be DeMarvin Leal. Â
Farrell’s take: FACT. Some Texas A&M fans will say he’s already broken out, but trust me - he hasn’t. The Aggies' rising junior defensive lineman had 37 tackles with seven for loss and 2.5 sacks last year, as well as an interception. He recovered a fumble and forced one as well. And while many have the former five-star as a potential top 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft – and rightly so based on his size and potential – we haven’t seen anything yet.
This year he will be a force and will continue to free up others to make big plays, but he will also finish more. The step from sophomore to junior is going to be a massive one for Leal, and he could move into top-five status before all is said and done.
