HOOVER — When he hits the town, Ryan Mallett has the same protection from his teammates as he does on the field behind the massive Hogs offensive line.

It’s not really necessary, though, senior tight end D.J. Williams said. Because Mallett, in his eyes, is just as big of a star now as he was five years ago. He sticks out just like he did at Houston Nutt’s high school camp, when he was the 6-foot-6, 17-year-old with a rocket arm.

He was so good then, Williams said, that he served as a de facto coach.

Still, it takes a certain level of celebrity to serve as your school’s lone media guide cover boy like Mallett is in 2010.

Tim Tebow never graced Florida’s cover by himself. Not even Heisman winner Mark Ingram can sympathize with Mallett, who might just be the SEC’s best chance at keeping the trophy in the conference.

“He’s going to tell you he hates that,” Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette said. “But he’s loved every second of it.”

That was apparent Thursday morning in the Wynfrey Hotel ballroom. He was all smiles and jokes behind the dais for his own personal press conference — another sign that he’s at least emerged as one of the SEC’s most popular faces.

There is confidence in Mallett that sometimes comes off as cockiness, Williams said. But Mallett wouldn’t even go as far to agree he was the SEC’s top quarterback Thursday — even though many would argue he’s one of the best in the nation.

“I don’t think you can name a best quarterback in the SEC until the season’s over,” Mallett said. “I had an OK year last year. The expectations of me are high.”

That was clear well before the media guides rolled off the presses.

With Mallett returning for what is believed to be his second and final year with the Hogs, expectations for Arkansas are sky high in 2010. Third-year coach Bobby Petrino didn’t have to say the expectations were high, considering most preseason publications list Arkansas among the top 15 teams in the nation, but he did Thursday — many times.

“Our players’ expectations for the season are high, our coaches’ expectations for the season are high, our administration’s expectations for the season are high,” Petrino said. “We’re fired up just to get started and get going.”

Though he was affable and open with all his answers, Mallett had every reason to arrive frustrated. He hasn’t thrown a meaningful pass since Arkansas’ win against East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl because of a broken bone in his left foot.

From a bystander’s perspective, the injury, which had Mallett in a boot up until a month ago, rendered him worthless through spring football and inhibited Arkansas’ already potent offense from developing even more chemistry. Petrino, though, said it was just the opposite.  It was Mallett’s constant presence on the sidelines, and in weight rooms and meeting rooms that lifted the spirits of the players around him.

“Everybody’s energy goes up because of the smile he has, and how much he loves competition and loves the game of football,” Petrino said. “He’s a young man that’s a tremendous leader for us.”

Mallett, who has a clean bill of health heading into fall practice, resumed throwing three weeks ago, Petrino said.

That’s what he thinks.

Williams said Mallett occasionally snuck out to the practice field while he was still hindered by the boot. Williams and other members of Arkansas’ potent receiving corps ran deep pattern after deep pattern for Mallett, who repeatedly hit them in stride on 65-yard fly patterns.

“He was just leaning on his back foot, couldn’t use any of that momentum to get the ball to go farther,” Williams said. “Just imagine if he had that extra step. He’d probably put that thing on a rope.”

In Petrino’s defense, he probably thought Mallett was in the pool.

Among the various rehabilitation activities Mallett had to endure, swimming consumed his life the most. Mallett, who injured his foot during conditioning drills, was unable to jog up until a few weeks ago. Instead, he was forced to hit the weight room for constant, one-leg exercises and then the pool to stay fit.

“I feel like I’m going to try out for the Olympics in 2014,” Mallett said.

By 2014, Mallett is expected to be long-established in the NFL. And though Mallett wouldn’t agree it’s a foregone conclusion he will jump to the league after this season, it’s clear he and Arkansas have no better shot than now to make some major noise in the SEC West.

“Right now, I have two years left to play college football,” Mallett said. “I’m going to enjoy it.”

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