Fact or Fiction: Napier Under Pressure, TTU Honoring Leach, Ryan Day vs. Michigan

In today’s Fact or Fiction, I look at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Billy Napier will be hard-pressed to survive through 2024.

Farrell’s take: FACT

The schedule in 2024 is brutal for the Gators, and he won’t have a great team this season. If he goes 6-6 this year (wins against McNeese, Charlotte, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and maybe two of Kentucky, South Carolina, and Arkansas) and has a losing season in 2024, he’s gone. I like Napier, but the Florida job isn’t one known for patience and he’ll be run out of two after two more average seasons. The slate of Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas along with Florida State is brutal in 2024. Not to mention an improved Miami team and UCF.

Sep 24, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier argues with an official during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.

2. Texas Tech did Mike Leach wrong.

Farrell’s take: FACT

They may be honoring their all-time winningest coach with an induction into the Hall of Honor, but it doesn’t make up for screwing him in 2009. Adam James, like his father Craig James, was by all accounts a nightmare to deal with and Leach was fired for disciplining him. Maybe it was the wrong way (the shed was not the best choice) but to side with the James family over a coach who had done so much for them was garbage. Leach sued because he knew he got jobbed and he never reconciled with them. And he shouldn’t have. It was just a badly handled situation, and now they want to celebrate him. It rings hollow.

January 1, 2008; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Mike Leach watches his team warm up before the game against the Virginia Cavaliers in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

3. Ryan Day has to beat Michigan to survive.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

It’s odd timing for this question in June, but what do you want from me? It’s slow. Day has lost to Michigan two years in a row, and we all know that’s unacceptable in Columbus. John Cooper went 2-10-1 against Michigan, and despite a 111-43-4 record at Ohio State, it’s all he will be remembered for. But let’s be real. Day is 45-6 overall and has been to the playoff three of four seasons, and if Ohio State got rid of him next season for another loss to Michigan, it would be an insanely dumb move. Short of Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel becoming available, who else would be an upgrade? No one. Day needs to beat Michigan for sure, but not to save his job.