From the Bench

Who is going -- Petrino, Mallett, or Hogs?

Robert Shields

With Urban Meyer’s situation at Florida still in doubt with his announced resignation that was then changed to a “leave of absence,” speculation about one of the most high-profile jobs in college football will continue regarding the Gators looking for a big-name coach to replace Meyer.

Razorback fans will hear speculation about Bobby Petrino as a candidate. Rightly or wrongly, he has a reputation around the nation as a job jumper. Most Razorbacks can excuse away the instances when he left a job to go to a better situation. Others on the outside see him more as an opportunist. A possible Florida job opening is an opportunity.

I assume Florida will look for the biggest name coach that they can find. The Gators football program has lost some names in the last year including offensive coordinator Dan Mullen who is now coaching Mississippi State, defensive coordinator Charlie Strong who is now at Louisville, Heisman winner Tim Tebow, and a guy named Percy Harvin. Gator Nation needs someone to fill all those shoes.

If Petrino wants to end the image of him being an opportunist, this is the year because his name will come up. He has to nip it in the bud immediately because just a couple of hours after Meyer’s initial announcement, the ESPN talking heads were already throwing out names and Petrino was one of them.

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Is Ryan Mallett coming or going?

It is the subject that is heard constantly on the call-in radio shows. My suggestion is stop worrying about it. If he goes, he goes, and all the hand wringing in the world won’t bring him back.

The Hogs are about to go to a bowl game in which they have a better-than-fair chance at winning if they concentrate and do their job. Wondering if Mallett is leaving is a distraction, and if it is distracting the fans inevitably it seems to trickle over to the team. The team does not operate in a bubble detached from what is happening among the fan gossip.

You hear all the time that Mallett is not ready for the NFL. I agree, but it’s not important. No quarterback in college football is ready for the NFL. The question is, can Mallett make millions coming out of college going to the NFL?

My guess is yes. The NFL has seen his ability. Few at the college level have his ability to throw the long ball. You can’t hide that fact. He makes throws others cannot make. On the long ball, it’s always there. His deep pass does not have that lofty trajectory you see from many college quarterbacks where the receiver has to run under the ball like it was shot out of mortar with the QB just hoping it has enough momentum to get to the receiver.

Mallett’s pass is this linear throw right at the receiver. The receiver does not have to run to it. He just has to turn around and it’s there. You have seen it over and over this season that if the defender is not right there, it is a big play. Mallett is not always accurate, but the receiver doesn’t have to come up with spectacular plays -- they just have to catch it.

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With talk of the Big Ten and Pac-10 expanding, the landscape of college football is about to change if those conferences make those decisions. Inevitably, just like the talk of Petrino or Mallett leaving, some will bring up the suggestion of the Hogs leaving the SEC. If it’s brought up to you, and I am sure the call to move will be louder in some parts of the state than others, just shout them down. The SEC is king in football. Every weekend you get to be in a bowl game when the Hogs play LSU, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, etc.

Plus, it would be throwing away millions to join the Big 12. Sure some fans might prefer closer drives to more natural rivals, but since when has what is good for the fans been good for making money at the UA?



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