Mallett leaves the Wolverines

Ryan Mallett, Michigan's 6-foot-7 freshman quarterback, has decided to transfer from the university and will consider enrolling at Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas or UCLA, according to an Associated Press report.

Filling in for injured quarterback Chad Henne, Mallett threw for 170 yards and one interception on 16-of-29 passing in the Wolverines 14-9 win against Penn State this fall. He played with poise uncommon for a freshman and showed glimmers why many considered him one of the nation's top high school prospects last year. Losing Mallett might look good to Nittany Lion fans -- except for the fact that what Michigan loses in a pro-style passer, it might gain in Terrell Pryor a dynamic dual-threat quarterback.

Pryor, a 6-foot-6 prospect from Jeanette, Pa., has publicly expressed interest in Michigan after the hiring of coach Rich Rodriguez, whose spread offense fits Pryor nicely but likely wouldn't jibe with the less mobile Mallett.

"It just wasn't a fit and yet, it was a hard decision," Jim Mallett, the quarterback's father, told the AP. "When he came home for Christmas, he told me and my wife that he really was falling in love with being at Michigan."

-- Mark