Ryan Mallett closing in on Arkansas passing mark

By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.(AP) — Ryan Mallett is right on schedule.

The Arkansas quarterback has been exactly what the Razorbacks
expected after sitting out last season as a transfer. With his
strong arm and seemingly limitless confidence, Mallett has
helped the Hogs become the Southeastern Conference’s
highest-scoring team – and this week he’ll have a chance to set
the school’s single-season passing record.

“When the coach calls a play, he always says, ’This is going to
hit,”’ tight end D.J. Williams said. “We practice so hard on
game-like situations that when tough situations come up in
games, he’s ready.”

Mallett was one of the first “recruits” to join the Razorbacks
after coach Bobby Petrino was hired, transferring from Michigan
after the 2007 season. He sat out last year while Casey Dick
took most of the snaps during his senior season.

When the 6-foot-7 Mallett took over, records began falling
immediately. In the team’s 2009 opener against Missouri State,
he and Tyler Wilson combined to throw for 447 yards, a school
mark. The following game, Mallett became the first Razorback to
throw for more than 400 yards when he reached 408 in a loss to
Georgia.

He enters Saturday’s game against Troy with 2,477 yards passing
on the season, 152 short of Clint Stoerner’s record. Mallett has
also thrown 18 touchdowns, eight behind Stoerner’s mark of 26.

The only mild disappointment has been Mallett’s completion
percentage of 57.6, and even that’s increased lately. Mallett
went 37 of 43 in his last two games against Eastern Michigan and
South Carolina, though he’s quick to credit his teammates.

“When you’ve got guys catching the ball no matter where it’s at,
they make you look good,” Mallett said. “There were a couple
plays where, if we didn’t have the playmakers we have, there’d
be more incompletions.”

There haven’t been many incompletions lately, and on the season,
Mallett has only three interceptions. He not only leads the SEC
in passing, but he’s avoided the crippling turnovers that could
put more pressure on the Razorbacks’ shaky defense.

“Mallett has done a real nice job taking care of the ball. His
decision making helps that,” Petrino said. “I think the fact
that he does throw the ball so hard, then maybe there could have
been a few intercepted that weren’t, but any time you have that
ratio between touchdown passes and interceptions, I am very
happy with it.”