Hogs could be surprise team in '09 with Mallett at QB, more mailbag

Predicting the "surprise" teams heading into a season has become almost as common as guessing the national champion.

Wake Forest surprised in 2006. The previous season, the Demon Deacons went just 4-7, but they rebounded to post an 11-2 record and win the ACC championship.

Kansas surprised everyone in 2007. The Jayhawks, who had not managed more than seven wins in 11 seasons, went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl during the '07 season.

Alabama went 7-6 in '07, but notched a 12-2 record in 2008 and earned a No. 1 ranking late in the season.

Projecting this season's surprise team will surely spark debate, but one potential sleeper would make its fans go hog wild with a good season.

I just want to know what place you think the Arkansas Razorbacks will finish this season in the SEC.
-- Cpl. Phillip Brown, Iraq

First, thank you for your service in the Marine Corps. Second, your Razorbacks will be significantly better this fall and will qualify for a bowl. With some luck, they could be one of the most improved teams in 2009.

There are several reasons to be optimistic.

�€� The Razorbacks obviously got better in the second half of their first season under coach Bobby Petrino. Yes, they went 2-4 in the second half and lost to Mississippi State. But one of the wins came against LSU. Plus, they started the season squeezing past Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe, then got blown out by Alabama, Texas and Florida. Three of the four losses in the second half of the season were by three points or less. And 17 starters return.

�€� New quarterback Ryan Mallett upgrades the offense. He's not mobile, but he has a strong arm. Stefan LeFors and Brian Brohm flourished in Petrino's system at Louisville. The guess here is that Mallett will, too. Consider that Casey Dick, last season's starter, passed for 2,586 yards, just 100 fewer than he'd thrown for in the previous two seasons combined. He played better in Petrino's offense. I've got to believe Mallett is a better quarterback than Dick. And so what if Mallett can't run? The Hogs have plenty of guys who can, such as Michael Smith (recovering from injury), De'Anthony Curtis and highly regarded freshman Knile Davis