First career start will be tall order for freshman QB
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Meet Ryan Mallett: the confident five-star prospect dubbed Michigan football's next great quarterback.
Last year, Michigan wrestled the 6-foot-7 signal caller away from the Texas and finally found the highly touted recruit it was searching for to replace Chad Henne.
The plan was all set: After a year of learning under Henne, Mallett would be ready to take over the reins at one of the biggest football programs in the nation next season.
But now, just two games into his freshman year, Mallett isn't waiting to be the man - he is the man.
Henne's lower-leg injury suffered last weekend against Oregon will sideline Michigan's only starting quarterback in four years until further notice.
So, ready or not, Mallett will make his first career start Saturday against rival Notre Dame.
"This test, of course, will be different than any test he's had," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "He's going to make some mistakes, and he's going to learn some things. But I can guarantee you he's not intimidated by anything. That's one of the things I like about him."
Mallett enrolled at Michigan in January, along with two other freshmen, so he could get a head start on conditioning and learning the playbook.
The Texarkana, Tex., native suffered some growing pains early on, experiencing a heavy dose of homesickness. But as time passed and Mallett became more comfortable at Michigan, he saw his early enrollment paying major dividends.
"I think it's given me a great opportunity to develop my game and bond with some of my teammates, so I think it was good," Mallett said last month at Michigan Media Day.
As a blue-chip recruit, Mallett had heard his fair share of praise entering the college ranks. Early on, there was some concern the accolades had gone to Mallett's head.
"We tried to get him off that high, but that's how every player is," Henne said at Big Ten Media Day. "They come in and they're All-American this and All-American that, and you get into college and you're like 'Oh, everybody's an All-American.' I think he finally realized that and stepped back."
Not everyone thought Mallett needed to calm down, though.
"I love Mallett; I love how he is," captain Mike Hart said last month at Big Ten Media Day. "He has a swagger about himself where he knows he's going to be the best - he wants to be the best. He's going to be a great leader."
Hart's prediction already showed signs of coming true last Saturday. Wide receiver Adrian Arrington said Mallett did a good job staying calm and taking control of the huddle, and Carr praised the true freshman's poise at his press conference on Monday.
Since coming to Michigan, Mallett appears to have found the middle ground between what Henne and Hart want from him.
Another senior leader, captain Jake Long, said the Oregon game was a perfect example.
"He's definitely matured in the short period of time he's been here," Long said. "You could see it in practice, and I saw it in (Saturday's) game. That's one of his good qualities. He can be humbled, and he's learned how to take criticism, step back at times. He's becoming a better leader and a better player."
On the field, Mallett's debut was forgettable. The man who once threw a football 87 yards in the air managed just 49 yards on 6-of-17 passing. He also lost a fumble and threw an interception.
The poor results may be the result of Mallett throwing the ball a tad too hard, according to Arrington, who ruined a pair of receiver gloves playing catch with the fireball-throwing Mallett this summer.
Despite the slow start and being thrust into the spotlight sooner than expected, if there's a freshman the team needs to perform early, there are few better prepared for the role than Mallett. Just ask Henne, who was thrust into a similar position his freshman year.
"Ryan has so much potential," Henne said last month. "If he develops the right way in the next four years, he'll probably be the best ever to come through Michigan."