(UPDATE 1:25 a.m., Friday): Ryan Mallett underwent surgery Wednesday on a broken bone in his left foot, and Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino is hopeful the quarterback could be back sooner than the three to four months estimated for complete recovery.
A screw was inserted in Mallett’s left foot during surgery Wednesday, Petrino said, and the junior stayed overnight at the hospital. The injury occurred Wednesday morning during MAT drills. Mallett was changing direction and felt pain on the outside of his left foot, and actually continued to run drills until the pain became unbearable, Petrino said.
Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino speaks to local Razorback club boosters Thursday night at the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, Ark. (Texarkana Gazette/ERIC J. SHELTON)
“After eight weeks he’ll be back doing some things, and we believe a very conservative estimate is three to four months before he is full speed, doing everything,” Petrino told the Texarkana Gazette. “Ryan will certainly still be able to condition (during his rehabilitation).”
Mallett’s injury will require the junior to stay off the foot for one month. The quarterback will wear a protective boot in the second month of recovery. , and it’s unknown when he’ll be physically able to return partially to workout. Mallett suffered the broken bone during a change-of-direction drill Wednesday morning.
Petrino spoke to a booster club gathering in Texarkana on Wednesday night, where he revealed the details surrounding Mallett’s injury.
Petrino said the Razorbacks were fortunate the injury occurred this early in the offseason, giving Mallett time to recuperate completely before fall workouts. Mallett is expected to be out of action three to four months and will miss spring practices.
Mallett is no stranger to injuries. He injured the ring finger on his throwing hand in June after a mishap in the weight room and was sidelined for several weeks. Mallett also dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand during spring drills in 2008, when he sat out a season after transferring from Michigan.
“It must just be that time of the year for him,” Petrino joked Thursday evening. “This is three years in a row that during the offseason he’s had a broken bone.”
Mallett set or tied 16 school records in his first year as Arkansas’ starting quarterback last fall and turned heads along the way. He threw for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns with 7 interceptions in leading Arkansas to an 8-5 record and win in the Liberty Bowl. He was a second-team selection on the All-SEC teams picked by the media and league’s coaches.
Make sure to read WholeHogSports.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more details on this story
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Make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more coverage. You can also follow us on Twitter for breaking news updates with @bmarcello and @wholehogsports.
I was scratching my head on the 3-4 month timetable, given that bones heal pretty well in a month to a month and a half. Go figure.
Dr. Petrino in the house!