Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. along with Ryan Young of USCSports.com and Tim Verghese of InsideNebraska.com tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Texas still needs to find another running back
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1. Texas is the clear front-runner for five-star WR Jaime Ffrench.
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Garcia’s take: FACT. The buzz has been steady with the Longhorns for the better part of this year and there have also been plenty of chances for fellow finalists Miami, LSU and Tennessee to command the top spot. Texas and its offensive style, and now track record under Steve Sarkisian on offense and at the wide receiver position, have really made the race Texas’ to lose ahead of the Aug. 30 decision date.
There are other caveats in this recruitment, though, as Jaime Ffrench has talked about weighing the college football season into a final decision. It could also lead to visits elsewhere for game-day atmosphere experiences, so the commitment date may just be the beginning here. Miami and LSU have family ties with Ffrench and Tennessee hasn’t lost out on many priority targets of late, either, so this could still be among the highest profile battles to track until the Early Signing Period opens on Dec. 4.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I can definitely buy some arguments that Ffrench could end up elsewhere as LSU, Miami and Tennessee all have legitimate reasons why he could end up there but I still believe strongly that Ffrench ends up at Texas. So do some current commits as the talk has been that the five-star has been heavily leaving toward the Longhorns and the confidence might only be growing. From the offense coach Steve Sarkisian runs to the success last season going to the College Football Playoff, to the quarterback play and culture, Texas seems like a wonderful fit.
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2. The longer Julian Lewis waits to announce his final, the better it is for USC.
Young’s take: FICTION. It would be better for USC if this process had completely ended a year ago when Julian Lewis committed. While I still think he ends up with the Trojans in the end, it can only go wrong at this point — if USC’s offensive line looks susceptible against Big Ten competition and Miller Moss struggles as a result, or if Moss excels and it starts looking likely that he might return for his final year of eligibility, or some NIL factors from any direction come into play.
It’s interesting that Lewis didn’t complete his summer official visits and put some finality to the matter, though he has often reiterated that he’s locked in with the Trojans. Having that door any bit ajar, though, is the reason USC is now having to consider a backup plan like Husan Longstreet.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I’m going to take the other side of this argument although I understand what Ryan is saying here. Not having finality is a lingering concern but what are his realistic options right now? Will a five-star quarterback with Lewis’ abilities really turn down playing for Lincoln Riley, who has helped develop numerous quarterbacks (and some with very similar skill sets) to No. 1 picks and Heisman Trophy winners for a very unknown and possibly very challenging situation at Indiana or go play for Colorado coach Deion Sanders after Shedeur Sanders, Shilo Sanders and especially Travis Hunter leave for the NFL? It seems like a monumental risk so in the absence of other schools coming in, USC makes the most sense by far, whenever he’s ready to close it down.
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3. Christian Jones is intrigued by Oklahoma but will end up picking Nebraska.
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Verghese’s take: FACT. Oklahoma has become a serious threat for Christian Jones this summer but Nebraska is well-positioned to keep the athletic linebacker home as long as they take care of business early in the season. His relationships at Nebraska have grown beyond the on-field staff, head football strength and conditioning coach Corey Campbell has done some good work, and in this recruitment, that relationship is key. Jones has visited Nebraska at least a dozen times at this point, is one of a few critical uncommitted targets on the board and the only box Matt Rhule, defensive coordinator Tony White and linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek haven’t checked is translating their vision for the program to the actual field. Jones has been recruited by Nebraska for nearly four years at this point, he’s tired of talking about winning in the future, he needs to see results.
Oklahoma has surged this summer and this by no means is a foregone conclusion, but Nebraska has simply invested too much time into Jones’ recruitment to lose out to a program that only recently re-entered the picture.
Gorney’s take: FACT. In recent weeks, Miami, Oklahoma and Nebraska were the three programs that emerged for Jones but this really came down to a battle between the Sooners and the Huskers.
It’s tough to bet against Oklahoma in any recruitment especially if the Sooners kill it early in the season but there are so many things pointing in Nebraska’s favor here. He’s such a big in-state target. The Omaha (Neb.) Westside four-star linebacker has taken so many visits to Lincoln. He’s developed such strong relationships with players and coaches on the team. The comfort level is just so much higher. Plus, Nebraska could get off to a great start this season and that could show Jones that things are trending in the right direction.
Sure, Oklahoma can win out here as a powerhouse program but Nebraska looks like the team to beat.
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