In what was shocking news to some, on Sunday, Ryan Silverfield left Memphis. We here at 4 Star Sports confirmed through our sources that Silverfield was named the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks after a long search. While some fans seem to be celebrating this news from a Memphis standpoint, the effect of this decision may be massive. We at 4 Star Sports will tackle some hard-hitting questions regarding this move.
Why The Move?
Let’s be honest here, the move was because of the promotion of the program and conference, along with money. No point in sugar coating it. In the end, Silverfield continued what Justin Fuente and Mike Norvell reestablished in their tenures on the sidelines as Memphis head coach. While some may scoff at his results, the number of wins, 50 in his time at Memphis, cannot be. Silverfield ranks top five in coaches hired in the 2020 cycle for wins, nationally. For those who may be under a rock, other names are Lane Kiffin, Jeff Traylor, and others. This list proves Silverfield can win.
How does he win? While at Memphis, Silverfield relied on his staff. The Tigers were one of a handful of programs across the nation that kept their staff intact for multiple seasons. This continuity allowed success to breed as there were standards set under the leadership of Silverfield.
As Silverfield heads to Fayetteville, the challenge is straight uphill, as he is taking over a 2-10 program. Already landed in Northwest Arkansas, Silverfield is getting his bearings in a new environment. Along with these changes comes a new vigor for wins as the Southeastern Conference is not the American, where Silverfield competed for six seasons.
What Is Next?
Now in Fayetteville, Silverfield will need to hit the ground running. To start, he will need to become acclimated with recruiting high school talent in addition to re-recruiting the Razorbacks roster. This is far more important from the onset than worrying about winning an opening press conference. Next, Silverfield is tasked with building a staff to surround him for success. Within this staff will need to be people who understand the landscape and can develop existing talent, and have a keen eye for budding talent.
With a larger NIL budget, along with SEC facilities, one would think this transition would be smooth and seamless. Instead, Silverfield finds himself in a firestorm from Arkansas fans who are not in favor of the decision. Conversely, some Memphis fans are celebrating the departure, yet have no clue who the next man is for the job. In the end, Memphis is at a crossroads not seen before in program history.
Memphis AD Ed Scott will have eyes on who he chooses as the 26th head coach of the Tigers. Thus far in his hires, the wins have not come yet. Despite these coming in programs were struggling when he arrived. One of which was the Memphis Softball position that was awaiting him as he took the position. Who will Scott choose? We will have a list compiled soon on this, but the decision is vital to get correct. After all, a conference promotion to the “P4” level is at stake.
Who Is Interim?
The first question when these changes take place is, “Who will the interim coach be?” Well, we have an answer. Memphis announced that defensive backs coach, and former Tiger, Reggie Howard, is the interim coach. Howard will be tasked with getting Memphis prepared for its upcoming bowl game, to be announced later. Along with this, Howard will have to recruit the current roster and commits to Memphis in hopes of keeping them as Tigers. One of whom is quarterback AJ Hill, whom Howard was heavily involved in his recruitment to Memphis.
How will Howard prepare Memphis? We will soon find out. Will Memphis get the interim bump? Possibly. Howard steps into a challenging situation as the interim coach. From the possibility of losing fellow staff, to players, and more, Howard will need to lean on his past playing and high-level coaching experiences to maneuver these rough waters.
Next Man Up
In closing, this departure came as a shock to some. Especially the seemingly small group who pushed for Silverfield to be fired post the COVID season and actively rooted for losses to strengthen their case. With a new era in Memphis football, after six seasons under Silverfield, the future is bright. Silverfield left a Memphis program with renovations happening and a fan base itching for more success. Will the success come with the next hire? This is quite the question as Scott announced a “National Search” for the next head coach.
In the meantime, people will name coaches from days of old, dreams of future hires, and off the wall names that will never happen. Through it all, the cycle for Memphis football continues. Another coach wins games and moves on to another opportunity. It is not personal anymore, it is all business. Memphis has to make a smart business decision with football. If not, we are looking at 2009-10 all over again.
