Former Razorback Ryan Mallett set to be head football coach at White Hall
WHITE HALL, Ark. (BVM) — Coaches around the country are busy preparing for the 2022 football season. One of those coaches is White Hall High School head football coach Ryan Mallett.
Before becoming a head coach, Mallett was one of the nation’s most sought-after high school football prospects. He was ranked as the No. 4 overall quarterback and was fielding offers from multiple schools. He ended up choosing Michigan.
But it wasn’t just Mallett that helped his dream of playing football come true. His dad and his uncles all had a hand in his career prospering.
“I grew up on the football field and around coaches,” Mallett said. “In middle school, I played for him [his dad], but when I moved up, he just wanted to watch.”
For Mallett, doing everything he could do to continue his career was a must. And there was one thing he learned along the way.
“Do the little things right; big things will happen,” Mallett said.
That big thing happened when he arrived in Michigan. Although he would be there for a year, Mallett would set the school’s record of the longest pass in program history.
After one year as a Wolverine, Mallett would head back to his home state to play for the Razorbacks. From 2009 to 2010, Mallett threw for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns. It was some of the best football not only an Arkansas quarterback would play, but some of the best football Mallett would play.
Mallett’s career would continue in 2011 after being drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Mallet would become an NFL journeyman, and his NFL career would ultimately end after the 2017-18 NFL season. However, it didn’t take him long to get back into the game he’s loved so much.
In April 2020, Mallett was named the offensive coordinator at Mountain Home High School. He’d help the Bombers to back-to-back playoff appearances and an 11-14 overall record.
Mallett would also help the Bombers break a 23-game losing streak, the state’s longest losing streak.
“From camp [the team] knew it’d be different,” Mallett said. “We had a lot of good seniors. It didn’t take long to get them motivated and get going.”
Having the success, he did was remarkable for the Bombers and Mallett. But after two years, Mallett was presented with the opportunity to be a head coach at White Hall High School.
He took the job in February of 2022. And now, he’s ready to lead the Bulldogs back to the state title game after going 11-3.
“We lost a lot of seniors, a lot of leadership,” Mallett said. “It’s not a culture shock, but it’s been a little bit different for them. They [the team] understand my expectations for them.”
Mallett has been around football for a long time. He’s seen a lot of success too. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he can continue to accomplish great things as a coach.
“I think it’s been good,” Mallett said about the reception of him being named the head football coach at White Hall. “Now I got to do all of it [coaching duties], and that’s fine by me…I’m going to put my team in the best opportunity to win. I just want these guys to have a lot of fun and win a lot of games.”
