FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett wasn’t kidding when he said the throwing shoulder he bruised last week would be 100 percent for Saturday night’s game against Vanderbilt.
“Have I ever lied to you?” Mallett said with a laugh after passing for a school-record 409 yards in the Razorbacks’ 49-14 victory over the Commodores. “I hope there’s no question about it now.”
Mallett, a junior, broke his school record of 408 passing yards in last season’s 52-41 loss to Georgia.
“It definitely feels better with a win, there’s no doubt,” Mallett said of being able to enjoy the record this time. “Last year when they told me about it, I really didn’t care because we got beat.
“But this year it’s pretty special.”
Mallett looked pretty special to Vanderbilt Coach Robbie Caldwell.
“He’s as good as there is, and he has a lot of help around him,” Caldwell said. “We didn’t get pressure on him.”
Mallett completed 27 of a career-high 44 passes and threw for 3 touchdowns - 2 to wide receiver Jarius Wright and 1 to tight end D.J. Williams.
Eight receivers caught at least one pass from Mallett.
“I thought he was really focused and really worked hard at executing his progressions,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said of Mallett. “He was reading the defenses, taking what was there, mixing the ball around.”
Mallett was replaced by backup Tyler Wilson for the third consecutive game, but Saturday night it was because he’d done enough and it was time to take him out of the game.
Mallett didn’t finish the two previous games because of injuries. He sustained a concussion at Auburn and bruised his right shoulder against Ole Miss.
“It’s a lot better coming out the way I did than the last two weeks, there’s no question about it,” Mallett said. “And we played pretty good.”
Mallett and the offense struggled on Arkansas’ first possession, when he completed 1 of 3 on passes and was sacked, resulting in a punt.
The Razorbacks then scored on five consecutive possessions, including four touchdowns.
“We wanted to come out and have a great game and perform really good, and I think we were kind of uptight,” Mallett said. “After that first series we settled in, and [the Commodores’ defense] did basically what we thought they were going to do, and we went out there and played pitch and catch.
“And the offensive line blocked really well and the running backs ran hard.”
Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said it was exciting to see Mallett pass as effectively as he did coming off two weeks in which he was banged up.
“It’s good to see him come back and have a good game after struggling last week emotionally,” McGee said. “He had a good week. He was prepared to play.
“His spirit was back, his smile was back, and he was focused and did a good job.”
Mallett didn’t know he’d broken his school passing yards record until Petrino told him after the game.
“It’s pretty neat,” Mallett said.
That’s it? Just pretty neat?
“I mean, we got the win,” Mallett said. “That’s what I’m most worried about.”
Sports, Pages 36 on 10/31/2010