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2010 Heisman Hopeful Countdown: No. 8 Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett
As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 season preview, we will be breaking down our ten favorite Heisman hopefuls to get you ready for this season’s edition of the Heisman Watch.
Here’s our No. 8 selection, Arkansas redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Mallett.
From Michigan starter to Arkansas scout team all-star to Razorback starter to preseason All-SEC quarterback, Ryan Mallett has certainly run the gamut of positions in his short time in college football.
In 2010 however, Mallett will look to assume one more role — Heisman winner.
Highly recruited and touted coming out of high school, Mallett hitched his wagon to Lloyd Carr for his 2007 freshman season. Although he wasn’t overwhelming in his contributions (seven touchdowns and five interceptions), he showed real potential backing up Chad Henne and looked poised to take over the reigns from Henne when the four-year starter moved on to the NFL.
But when Lloyd Carr retired and was replaced by spread offense enthusiast Rich Rodriguez — the pocket-passing Mallett was the odd man out.
So Mallett decided to transfer to Arkansas and sit out the 2008 season, helming the Razorback scout team while the NCAA-required transfer year out played out.
When he finally took the field for Arkansas in 2009, it was obvious that the Razorbacks had struck gold with their new quarterback. Mallett did a number on teams around the country and even bested some of the SEC’s top defenses.
Mallett did struggle mightily against Florida and Alabama — both Razorback losses — but his production as the 2009 season began to wind down showed real hope for a complete season of dominance in 2010.
His first season at quarterback for the Razorbacks gave him more than 15 single-season Arkansas records, and in 2010 he’ll be looking to be the first Razorback to ever hoist the Heisman trophy.
Mallett will benefit from a 100-percent return rate of last season’s top five Razorback receivers, although a February surgery that kept him out of spring practice may hamper his timing with the receiving corps.
Bottom Line: Mallett is without a doubt among the country’s best quarterbacks, however his performances against the best of the best last season were especially weak. If Mallett has any hope of a Heisman trophy, or even an invite to the presentation ceremony, he’ll have to better than his 12-for-35 performance against Alabama last season when he faces the cream of the SEC rop.
His experienced receivers and a season of experience under coach Bobby Petrino’s system will certainly help him continue his improvement. And despite his precarious position as leader of the SEC’s darkhorse pick (see how well that worked out for Jevan Snead and Ole Miss last year), he has a real shot at the trophy if the Razorbacks can compete for the SEC title this season.
←2010 Heisman Hopeful Countdown: No. 9 Georgia WR A.J. Green
2010 Heisman Hopeful Countdown: No. 7 Houston QB Case Keenum →
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