Hey, have you heard about this guy Ryan Mallett?
ESPN.com’s Joe Shad has heard of the Arkansas quarterback and Heisman hopeful, and has the Razorback No. 1 in his “Top 100 College Football Players To Watch” list. The list serves more as bait for discussion among college football fans, but, hey, what else is there to report or talk about these days when it comes to college football?
Mallett may be No. 1, but no other Razorback is on the list. Meanwhile, North Carolina (really?) has four players on the list.
Where are receivers Greg Childs or Joe Adams?
Heck, ESPN.com’s Chris Low (who does a fantastic job, by the way) didn’t even list Childs on his top 30 players in the SEC recently. Low has since come out, apologized and said it was tough not putting the receiver on his list. After all, Childs did lead the SEC in catches of 25 yards or more (13) and fourth quarter catches (13). Oh, and he led the nation in receiving yards against Top 25 teams (402).
So he was more than deserving of being on that top 30 list,” Low wrote this week, “and I can promise you he will be on the one I do this summer leading into the 2010 season.
Perhaps hurting Childs’ stock was that there are so many playmakers on Arkansas’ offense. From week to week, it seemed a different receiver was making the big catches and leading in yards. The talent at receiver, folks, is unmatched in the SEC.
I made this prediction on the TJ Carpenter Show today, and will repeat it here on the Slophouse. I may be going out on a limb, but so be it: Arkansas will have the most players on the All-SEC offensive teams than any other in the pre-season. And if Childs is left off the pre-season lists by the media and coaches, it will be a travesty.
Hopefully we don’t hear these type of words again from Childs, after he was left off the post-season lists by the media and coaches:
“I was surprised,” Childs said during preparations for the Liberty Bowl. “But I’m not too worried about it. I think I had a pretty good season, though. I think I improved.”
Arkansas trio of sophomores — Childs, Adams and Jarius Wright — made huge strides last season. Can they take a step forward again in 2010? It’s going to be interesting, especially as they adjust to not having receivers coach Paul Petrino (now at Illinois) on the sideline.
Anyway, that’s a story for another day. Rant over.
Spring football gets underway March 30. Mallett won’t be practicing, of course, because of the bone he broke in his left foot last month.
We’ll be covering the heck out of spring practice, by the way.
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.
It’s not really any surprise that Childs ( and any Razorback player other than Mallett) was left off of any national sports writers list. With obvious exceptions, Arkansas and its’ athletes do not get nearly as much respect as the “big boys”. When the Hogs DO have a good team, they are vastly underrated, and when they have a so-so team or worse, the national writers act like it’s no biggie…like it’s where we are suppose to be!
I’m sick and tired of Arkansas not getting the respect they deserve! Malcolm Shepperd was just as good as those guys picked for 1st Team SEC last year! Greg Childs not being on any SEC Team was total freakin bullcrap! Childs, Adams, and Wright WOULD start for ANY other team in the SEC!
Oh please dear God, if there is truly any justice in the world, let the Hogs defense be much improved and the Razorbacks trample everyone in their path next season! Or at least enough for 10 wins and a new years bowl.
GO HOGS!!!!!
Hey, I’m all for promoting joe adams. He’s a player, no doubt. But stop your crying about childs not getting recognition. He only dropped about 40 passes last year. That’s why he didn’t make all-sec. There were times I was wondering why he was even playing. Made very few tough or timely catches. Save your praise for adams, at least he’s a real football player.
Brandon is exactly right, there are so many playmakers on this offense that it is hard to give one guy too much credit.
The tight ends will be strong this year with D.J. coming back, Gragg healthy, Austin Tate bulking up, and of course Ben Cleveland.
I wouldn’t trade wide recievers with anyone in the country, and it takes a bunch to run Bobby Petrino’s offense….
Wright, Adams, Childs, and Hamilton would start on ANY team in the country. Salters, Barlow, and Ray will fill the rotation nicely…..Also, there is a bunch of talented freshman coming in that will get a good hard look at reciever.
What a great list. I am always on the look for top lists, and your list is great starting point. Lists are very useful.
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