"He's on his way home," Jim Mallett told The Associated Press today. "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 at Tennessee, which is 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."

Mallett said his son also will consider transferring to Texas A&M, Arkansas and UCLA among other schools. After sitting out next season, he will have three years of eligibility.

"Several schools have called and we're still open-minded about any program that runs a pro-style offense," he said. "He's going to enroll this semester, so we've got to get moving."

Mallett played in 11 games as a freshman, filling in for Chad Henne when he was injured. He was 61-of-141 for 892 yards with seven touchdown passes and five interceptions.

As soon as Lloyd Carr retired and Rich Rodriguez was hired, Mallett's days seemed to be numbered because of Rodriguez's spread offense that has featured mobile quarterbacks.

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