Maybe, but maybe not…as rumors swirl regarding the probable firing of Georgia Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez. 

The other Willy–University of Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson–could not be reached for comment, as he is trying to devise a way to continue his team’s streak of allowing career games for opposing QBs. 

It will take a puny effort for Arkansas to allow its next (probable) opposing QB, Houston’s Case Keenum, to have a career game, as he has already had a career year.  OK. I made that up.  I didn’t try to contact Willy Rob, who I like, but I wish would give me one big stop on the road so I could have some faith in him.

He likes it and thinks a playoff system doesn’t necessarily result in a more worthy champion.  The article doesn’t go into as much detail as Patterson did this morning on the Dan Patrick Show.  Essentially, he said that a playoff (as is the case in other sports) is often decided by who gets hot (2006 St. Louis Cardinals) who gets hurt (and when), and favorable matchups, stylistically.

Harry King, who is about as steady as they come in Arkansas sports writing cirlces, has a great story today regarding Ryan Mallett.  Like a good journalist, he talked to various sources regarding Mallett and the NFL draft.  Most notably, he talked to Chris Mortensen. 

The bottom line is this:  Ryan Mallett should and likely will stay in school for the 2010 football season.  Per Mort:

“He needs more starts,” he said. “He needs to mature, physically and emotionally. There’s no reason to fear a rookie wage scale and there’s little concern about getting injured and sliding in a subsequent draft.”

Oh how quickly we forget that Mallett was charged with an alcohol-related offense this past offseason.  The more time he gets between that arrest and the NFL draft, the higher his stock goes.  Just ask Carlos Dunlap, where we already have heard that his draft stock has gond down since his arrest this week.

Chris Low over at ESPN.com is busy again, sorting out the various SEC bowl scenarios.  For Hog fans, the mystery is gone.  Arkansas will play the C-USA winner (likely Houston) in Memphis at the Liberty Bowl.  The biggest head-scrather remains Auburn to the Outback Bowl.  If I were a Kentucky fan I’d be up in arms. 

It sparks an interesting debate.  Are the bowls supposed to strictly reward teams for their performance or find the best, most entertaining matchup?  As usual, the answer is somewhere in the middle.  I do think it leans to the latter, though, focusing on ticket sales and viewership.  That’s why Arkansas will always get snagged by the Liberty and Independence Bowls with a six or seven win season and continue to be overlooked by the Outback and Chick-fil-A Bowls.