Sitting 16th in the SEC, Bobby Petrino’s time as the interim has come to an end at Arkansas. As per reports, the Razorbacks have hired Memphis Tigers’ head coach Ryan Silverfield as the replacement for Sam Pittman.

Silverfield took over as the head coach of the Tigers in 2020 and has a 50-25 overall record with the team. Before that, he served as the OL coach of the team. When Mike Norvell left for Florida State, he was internally promoted to be the main man of the program. Most importantly, Memphis never failed to make a bowl game under his leadership. Interestingly, one of Silverfield’s biggest wins came against the Razorbacks in September 2025 in a 32-21 win.

Who Is Ryan Silverfield?

Ryan Silverfield is the current head coach of the Memphis Tigers. He joined the program in 2016 as an offensive line coach and transitioned to run game coordinator and assistant head coach. He was then promoted to head coach in 2019. Under his leadership, Memphis has appeared in multiple bowl games and posted multiple double-digit win seasons, with a 10-3 record in 2023 and an 11-2 record in 2024.

Before becoming a head coach, Silverfield started his career at Bolles School as an assistant. He then gained professional experience working as part of the Minnesota Vikings’ coaching staff from 2008 to 2013, and then with the Detroit Lions in 2015.

Ryan Silverfield’s Ethnicity, Family, and Personal Life

Ryan Silverfield was born on 4th August 1980 in Jacksonville, Florida. He is married to Katie VanLandingham Silverfield and is the father of twin daughters. There is no public information about the names of his daughter or details about Katie, so it can be assumed that Silverfield prefers keeping his family private.

However, Silverfield has two dogs named Sadee and Cooper.

Ryan Silverfield’s Net Worth

Calculating Ryan Silverfield’s exact net worth is difficult because it involves variables such as bonuses, incentives, and private investments. However, estimates can be made from publicly available contract details.

When Silverfield became Memphis’ head coach, he signed a five-year deal worth roughly $9.25 million, which also included an additional $3 million for assembling his coaching staff. The contract allowed him to earn up to $500,000 per year in performance incentives.

In April 2024, Silverfield signed a new five-year agreement with Memphis that added approximately $3 million in value, bringing the total to around $12.25 million. For that season, his compensation was set at about $2.2 million, with scheduled annual increases that would raise his pay to an estimated $2.7 million by 2028.

Why Arkansas Chose Ryan Silverfield as Sam Pittman’s Replacement

There are two sides to why Arkansas chose Ryan Silverfield as Sam Pittman’s replacement. The first is Silverfield’s proven track record of consistent winning records. He transformed Memphis into one of the top programs in the AAC, leading them to multiple bowl appearances and three straight conference wins.

While he was not the head coach then, he was part of the coaching staff, serving as deputy head coach and offensive-line coach. This season might not have been as successful as his previous two, but Silverfield still managed to end the season with a winning record of 8-4.

The second reason is the Razorbacks’ disastrous 2025 season. After starting 2-3, Arkansas decided to fire Sam Pittman, a move that ultimately backfired. The two wins earned under Pittman ended up being the only victories the Razorbacks recorded all season, finishing 2-10.

An eight-game losing streak dropped them to the bottom of the SEC, prompting the search for a new head coach. That search has now led them to Ryan Silverfield.