Sorry this post-practice blog took awhile. Arkansas practiced tonight, leaving me in a rush trying to pump out a story for tomorrow’s papers.
What did I write about? A topic many Arkansas fans are wondering about right now — is Ryan Mallett going to the NFL?
We had an opportunity to talk to Mallett about a variety of topics after Monday’s practice. One was the draft (although, briefly). Mallett didn’t exactly spill his guts about the NFL Draft and whether he was seriously considering the opportunity to leave after his redshirt sophomore season because, in his own words, there’s still a game to play. That’s all he’s thinking about right now.
“We’re still in the season,” Mallett said. “So nothing like that is going through my mind right now. The only thing going through my mind right now is the Liberty Bowl and going out there to win the game. We’re still in the season so stuff that’s after-season decisions. That doesn’t affect me at all during the season.”
But I followed that by asking Mallett if that meant he did have a decision to make once the Liberty Bowl ended on Jan. 2.
“Obviously you’ve got to look at your options,” Mallett said. “But the Liberty Bowl is what we’re worried about right now.”
You can read more on Mallett in tomorrow’s papers or here on the ArkansasNews.com.
A couple other things to mention from tonight’s interviews:
• The coaching staff was short-handed tonight. In fact, coach Bobby Petrino wasn’t on the field. Neither was defensive ends coach Kirk Botkin, linebackers coach Reggie Johnson, running backs coach Tim Horton or quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino was there, though, and said the coaches were out recruiting while he and the rest handled Monday’s practice.
“It’s always better when you have everybody,” Petrino said. “You still get a lot of work in and they get a lot of work in out there recruiting. It’s kind of what we’ve always done a lot in the past.”
• The AP All-SEC team was a topic of conversation tonight, too. Four Razorbacks — Mallett, WR Joe Adams, DT Malcolm Sheppard and OL Mitch Petrus — were second-team selections. But Petrino and Mallett were surprised that WR Greg Childs wasn’t on the list after leading the Razorbacks in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns this season.
“If Greg didn’t make first or second team that’s kind of surprising to me,” Mallett said. “He was one of the most dominant receivers that were out there in the SEC as far as catches and yards after catch. But that’s just my opinion.”
• Arkansas may be about a month away from playing in the Liberty Bowl, but the Razorbacks have already started scouting East Carolina.
“We’ve watched a lot of them the last few days,” Petrino said. “They’re a good football team. They’re well-coached. You can see they play hard. They do what they’re coached to do. Any time you go to a bowl game you’re going to be playing a good football team. Just get yourself better every day.”
