QB Mallett Leaves Michigan, Eyes Tennessee

Ryan Mallett has left the Michigan football program, and the quarterback might be reunited with his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee.

"He's on his way home," his father, Jim Mallett, told the Associated Press yesterday. "We don't know where he's going to go yet, but we need to do something quick. We're going to visit three, four or five schools."

The former Texas Class 4A offensive player of the year may end up with the Volunteers, who are considering hiring former Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord and quarterbacks coach Scott Loeffler.

"If they're hired, that would be a real good possibility," Jim Mallett said. "Ryan really clicked with both Coach DeBord and Coach Loeffler during the last couple months of the season and during bowl practices. I've never seen Ryan throw the ball or read defenses as well as he did."

The Wolverines also lost another offensive player when wide receiver Adrian Arrington declared for the NFL draft. He caught 67 passes for 882 yards and eight touchdowns this season.

Rich Rodriguez said Tuesday night he did not expect to coach Mallett, Arrington or wide receiver Mario Manningham at Michigan. Rodriguez said Arrington and Manningham would skip their senior seasons.

Manningham might be a first-round pick after catching 72 passes for 1,174 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushing 19 times for 119 yards and a score this season.

In other college football news, the director of Florida State's athletic academic support program became the latest casualty of the cheating scandal that stripped the team of two dozen key players in last month's bowl loss to Kentucky.

Mark Meleney was told his contract would not be renewed, although he will be kept on the payroll until its expiration this summer to help with the transition.

"Meleney was not fired," Florida State President T.K. Wetherell said. "He's got the option to apply for anything."

Meleney, who was informed of his dismissal Tuesday, did not immediately respond to a phone message yesterday to comment. He was head of the program for nine years.

-- From News Services