LIKE IT IS: It’s tempting to embrace 2010 battle cry

— Get ready.

That’s what Ryan Mallett said when he announced he was returning for his junior season at Arkansas.

Get ready.

That’s what it says on the front of the new UA football media guide, along with a picture of Mallett, who gets the star treatment as the only player on the cover.

Get ready.

Mallett, the MVP of the Liberty Bowl, chose to return because, “I’m a Razorback and if I was a fan, I wouldn’t have liked it if I left after just one year.”

Get ready.

Mallett said he is on target and on course to be on the field when practice starts in 13 days. That his foot is fine.

Get ready.

Mallett is receiving national recognition for his freakishly strong throwing arm. He set or tied 16 school passing records last season when he was in a learning curve adjusting to the speed and physicality of the SEC.

More impressive than those 16 records is that he’s already cracked the top 10 on four of Arkansas’ career passing lists. He’s 10th in completions (225), second in percentage completed (.558), ninth in yards (3,624) and fifth in touchdowns (30).

Get ready.

Mallett said he expects to be better because he’s learned under Coach Bobby Petrino’s tutelage.

“I looked at the videos from last season and overall I was disappointed,” he said Thursday. “I missed receivers and checks that I don’t plan on missing this season.”

Get ready.

All of the starting receivers are back, and Mallett said the incoming freshman receivers are going to be great.

“I’ve been throwing to them, and I’m impressed,” he said.

Get ready.

D.J. Williams, who led the Razorbacks in receiving as a sophomore with 61, will be more of a target this season than last.

It will be next to impossible for teams to double-cover Williams, or anyone, when Williams, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Joe Adams are on the field at the same time.

Get ready.

The Razorbacks return two running backs who averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry: Ronnie Wingo (6.5) and Dennis Johnson (6.0). Plus, there’s Broderick Green (4.2) and Knile Davis (4.9).

Get ready.

When Petrino addressed the media at SEC football media days, he didn’t back down an inch when asked about expectations.

“It starts with our players, who have expectations, and includes the coaches, administration and our fans,” he said. “Expectations means people think you are going to be pretty good.

“I like high expectations.

“Last year at Alabama, we didn’t execute because deep down our players didn’t expect to win. Now, they do.

“We’ve tried to learn to execute, to do your job on every play.”

Get ready.

Petrino said the offensive line will miss Mitch Petrus but that it is going to be bigger, stronger and better. That it will have more depth.

Get ready.

He said he expects the special teams to be improved. That it starts with leadership and that progress is being made there.

Get ready.

The offense returns nine starters, 74 percent of its rushing yards and 86 perent of its receiving yards.

Get ready.

Most of Thursday was like everything concerning the Hogs this year - it was about offense. The defense, which ranked 89th in the nation a year ago, is the big question mark even with seven starters back.

Yet, Petrino said he knows in the SEC you can’t get to Atlanta and the SEC Championship Game just on offense. That in this league championships are won with defense.

“We need to be in the top 20,” he said of the defense last week.

In all fairness he didn’t seem concerned about the defense and spoke highly of several players, and defensive end Jake Bequette, one of those returning starters, did a great job at media days.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/23/2010

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