HOOVER, Ala. — Ryan Mallett is considered by many to be the best quarterback in the Southeastern Conference heading into the 2010 season.

Just don’t tell him that, at least until the end of the season.

“I don’t think you can name a ‘best quarterback in the SEC’ until the season’s over,” he said. “I had an OK year last year. The expectations of me are high [this season]. They’re even higher for myself. That’s just how I was brought up, that’s how I am.”

Ryan Mallett returns for his senior season at Arkansas and was voted as preseason SEC first team quarterback. FILE PHOTO

Mallett, a redshirt junior from Texarkana, Ark., threw for 3,624 yards last season, with an SEC-high 30 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions. He also set or tied 16 different school records for the Razorbacks last year, his first as the starter. Mallett sat out the 2008 season after transferring from Michigan.

Mallett suffered a setback earlier this year, as he broke a bone in his left foot on Feb. 17. He addressed the matter of his foot in his opening remarks to the media.
“I just want to take this time to go ahead and tell y’all my foot is doing fine,” he said. “I’m right on schedule with my rehab, [and I'll] be ready to go during camp.”

To rehab from his injury, Mallett swam a lot, enough that he joked he would “try out for the Olympics” the next time they come around.

“I’ve been doing a lot of swimming to stay in condition,” he said. “I haven’t been able to run to this point, so I’ve been swimming a lot, doing a lot of weight room-stuff with upper body, a lot of single-leg stuff. It’s really helped me out.”

Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino was proud of the work his quarterback put in to recuperate after his injury.

“Ryan is a guy I’m very, very proud of,” Petrino said. “He’s fought through the injury he had, and he’s done that with a very positive attitude.  He got a lot out of spring practice without taking a rep just because of his concentration, his attitude, his love for the game.”

Petrino felt that Mallett’s best attribute was the fact the energy of the entire team “goes up” because of his passion for the game.

Petrino also knows how special his quarterback’s arm is.

“He’s a young man that’s a tremendous leader for us,” he said. “Every Saturday when you watch video after the game, he makes two or three that make you say, ‘Wow, nobody else in America might be able to make that throw.’ We’re excited with the fact he’s healthy…[and] we feel like when we step on the field two weeks from now, he’ll be 100 percent healthy and ready to go.”

D.J. Williams, the Razorbacks All-SEC tight end, can attest to Mallett’s arm strength after catching passes from him on a daily basis.

“You don’t see college quarterbacks make the kind of throws that he makes,” Williams said. “Ryan puts it on the money…he has that pro-type arm and the ability to make every throw.”

Mallett also was asked about the biggest issue swirling around this year’s SEC meetings — agents. He let it be known that the NFL is not on his radar at the moment.

“As a college athlete, you’ve got to be aware of who you’re around at all times,” Mallett said. “As far as the agent thing, I’m not talking to any agents at this time. If they contact me, I tell them if I’m gonna go to the NFL, we’ll talk about it after the season.”

As far as the upcoming season is concerned, Mallett believes the close-knit nature of this Razorbacks squad bodes well for the state of Arkansas’ favorite team.

“I feel like this is the closest team I’ve ever played on, especially in the three years I’ve been here,” he said. “Really, my whole life, this is the closest group of guys that I’ve ever been a part of.”