Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino defended quarterback Ryan Mallett, stating that the concerns over his dedication and leadership abilities are unfounded. “I brought them in and talked to them all,” Petrino said referring to NFL scouts. “I told them, ‘Here’s Ryan Mallett, one of the hardest working players I’ve ever coached. He’s more dedicated and spends more time in the meeting rooms, studying film on his own and completely understanding our playbook and understanding what the other side of the ball is going to do.’"
“I addressed the rumor out there that this guy points fingers and isn’t a great leader. The first thing I told them was, ‘Points fingers? We moved the ball up and down the field, and got in the endzone all the time. There weren’t a lot of fingers to be pointed.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Ryan is one of the greatest encouragers and leaders I’ve ever been around."