Ryan Mallett left a mark on Alabama fans, all 6-foot-6-inches of his frame and a flamethrower arm that played equalizer at the highest level of college football, especially one Saturday in September 2010 the Tide know all too well.

Bama escaped Fayetteville with a 24-20 win that appeared near-impossible in the second half when Arkansas had a 20-7 lead on the defending national champions in the third quarter.

Still on top of the college football world heading into the 2010 season, undefeated Alabama strolled into Fayetteville the top-ranked team in the land, but the No. 10 Razorbacks were not intimidated by all that talent. Just a year prior, Bama smacked the Hogs 35-7 in Bryant-Denny Stadium, so fans undoubtedly felt confident Sept. 26. It was just another box they would check on their way to back-to-back titles. Not so.

Led by the towering quarterback from Batesville, Arkansas, who died tragically this week after drowning in Florida, Bobby Petrino’s squad scored less than one minute into the game when Mallett found Ronnie Wingo Jr. on a 43-yard catch and run.

Bama answered quickly, with reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram rumbling for a 54-yard touchdown run to tie it.

The teams would trade haymakers, but the one-touchdown underdog Hogs took a 10-point lead into halftime behind a quarterback sneak for a touchdown by Mallett.

Stagnant on offense for most of the third period, Bama cut the Hogs’ lead to six with a screen pass to backup running back Trent Richardson who housed it.

The Tide scored 10 unanswered points in the final period, and Dre Kirkpatrick had a timely interception with 1:48 left, giving Mallett his third (after two to INT machine Robert Lester) and ultimately helping Bama escape with the hard-fought win.

Despite the three turnovers, Mallett threw for 357 yards and the opening touchdown to rouse the sold-out crowd of 72,000, while also sneaking in for another score to extend their lead. Arkansas finished the regular season 10-2 before losing to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Mallet finished seventh in Heisman voting that year.

Expectations were high for the 2010 Crimson Tide team, returning stars on both sides of the ball like reigning Heisman-winner Mark Ingram, starting quarterback Greg McElroy, defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick and many others who would play on Sundays. But injuries to key players lingered to create inconsistency, ultimately leading to the three regular season losses.

Mallett, who transferred to Arkansas from Michigan, played an enormous role in building Arkansas (under Petrino) into a national contender who could challenge elite teams like Alabama. (They whipped the same South Carolina team that beat Alabama, partially thanks to Mallett’s 303 passing yards).

Drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots, Mallett played seven seasons in the NFL for the Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens (starting in eight games).

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Mallett’s death this week. He was 35. He had been head football coach at White Hall (Ark.) High School since 2022. DeltaPlexNews.com was first to report his death, which took place off the coast of Destin and was later confirmed by several other media outlets. Officials have said extreme heat could have played a role in Mallett’s death, as opposed to the conditions of the surf, the tides or the currents.

Gone far too soon, Mallett will be remembered as a winner in Fayetteville and a player who had an impact at the next level. His loss prompted former New England teammate Tom Brady to post on Instagram, “We lost a great man. Thank you for everything Ryan.”

Alabama fans will remember him as the quarterback who led Arkansas to a once-unlikely top-10 ranking when the SEC took over college football and a guy who struck fear into the hearts only to leave them ecstatic about stealing a win from his rising Razorbacks.