Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/22/2010 at 8:50am

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino expects quarterback Ryan Mallett to be ready to participate when fall camp begins in two weeks.

“We feel like when we step on the field two weeks from now he’ll be 100-percent ready to go,” Petrino told a room full of reporters at SEC Media Days.

Mallett was among the Arkansas representatives at SEC Media Days. The group arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. about 7:55 a.m. and Mallett was not wearing a protective boot on his right foot.

It was last month that Mallett underwent surgery to replace a screw in his foot. He initially suffered a fracture during conditioning drills in February.

Mallett, who passed for 3,422 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2009 and led the conference in total offense and passing yards, has dealt with an array of injuries since arriving on campus in January 2008.  Mallett most recently broke the small toe on his left foot during conditioning drills. He had a screw inserted on Feb. 18 after a stress-related fracture, shortly after being cleared to throw following shoulder surgery.

Other quick notes form Petrino’s media session:

*Petrino said agents contacting players are “a concern you have every single day as a coach.” He added that up to this point there have been no NCAA inquiries about Arkansas players involved in an agent scandal that has prompted investigations at Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

*There will be no shying away from expectations of competing for the SEC and national title this year.

“Players expectations for season are high. Coaches expectations for season are high. Our administration expectations for the season are high. Also the fans.

“We are embracing the expectations. That’s a good thing.”

*Petrino said the defense “must” quit giving up big plays.

ArkansasSports360.com will update this story.