The 35th head coach in Arkansas history comes with a lot of conviction after quietly building one of the nation’s finest Group of Five teams and piling wins at Memphis. It is the result of years spent familiarizing with the game at every level, including seven seasons in the NFL. Silverfield has promised to outdo some legendary coaches like Bill Belichick. However, he has recently been hinting at a more ambitious strategy that Arkansas desperately needs.

In an interview with FOX 16’s Courtney Mims, Silverfield said, “Any head coach that’s not wanting to change their scheme based off personnel is shame on them. It’s about their ego, and I think one of the reasons why everybody says.” This kind of mindset explains why his Memphis teams continued to win despite yearly changes in quarterbacks and roster lineups. With new seasons and new guys, that man still came up with the same outcome. His track record was exactly what set him apart during Arkansas’ search.

“Any head coach that’s not willing to change their scheme based off personnel is… shame on them. It’s about their ego.”

A great quote from Arkansas head football coach Ryan Silverfield from my interview with him yesterday. #WPS

Here’s the full clip of him talking about his… pic.twitter.com/7wygLb4mMC

— Courtney Mims (@MimsCourtney) December 13, 2025

Silverfield went 50–25 since taking over in 2019, produced back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2024, and took Memphis bowling every year, extending the Tigers’ run to 12 straight bowl appearances, the longest among non-Power 4 teams. The Tigers were relentless offensively, averaging 34.6 points per game this season and finishing No. 19 nationally.

All six of Silverfield’s teams cleared 30 points per game, placing him in rare company alongside Notre Dame, Oregon, Ole Miss, and Texas State as one of just five programs to stay top-20 in scoring across the past three seasons. That production wasn’t built on stubborn identity either. “If we’re able to line up and run the ball down somebody’s throat for 80 percent of the game, we’re going to do that,” he said. “If they load the box, we’ll pass it 80 percent of the time.”

And that flexibility is the backbone of Silverfield’s master plan. He stressed that the locker room would determine formations, quarterback styles, portal changes, and even fullback use. He said, “We have to fit the scheme around our players now.” That mentality led to the historic 11-win 2024 season, a victory against West Virginia in the bowl, and Top-25 rankings in the AP and Coaches Polls were the results.

Silverfield insists the scheme is never the problem. “We’ve got plenty of scheme and expos. I’m not worried about that. It’s about finding the right personnel that fit ultimately what we want to do. But whatever we end up with now bending the scheme and shaping around what they’re capable of doing. ” That mindset explains why he has seen himself a step ahead of NFL coaches like Bill Belichick.

Ryan Silverfield’s edge alongside Bill Belichick

Silverfield’s confidence extends beyond just his resume. He is working in line with the fact that Arkansas handed him the $33.5 million job to mandate a rebuild. Silverfield prioritized voices that matched his tempo and flexibility in the quick and deliberate staff makeover. With that, Silverfield is almost daring people, “I don’t know how many head coaches in college football under the age of 50 coached for seven years in the NFL…I don’t think there’s any, right? And then also I’ve had, you know, coach Belichick’s coached for a long time in the NFL, a little bit older. And this is his first year finishing up as a head college coach, where I’ve had that experience. I also laugh when people say, he doesn’t have that SEC experience.”

Silverfield explained what he believes actually prepares a coach to lead at this level.“When these guys may have been, some of these other coaches around the conference may have been, you know, coaching or a grad assistant in the SEC or a grad assistant at smaller schools,” Silverfield added. “I was; I had the fortune of working with guys like Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, right? And Calvin Johnson. So I think that makes up for it,” he said.

Top Stories

Forced to Leave FOX, Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Says ESPN Is Like ‘U.S. Government’ & Clearly Distinguishes the Two Networks

$250M Michigan Booster Reveals More to Sherrone Moore Saga After Paige Shiver Confirms Police Visit

NFL Files Motion to Dismiss Former Texans Board Member Cary McNair’s “Legally Baseless” Lawsuit

Rafael Nadal Faces New Injury Blow Only a Year After His Emotional Tennis Exit

T.J. Watt’s Wife Shares Emotional Update on Steelers LB Following Worrying Health Scare

Heisman Voter Flags Julian Sayin Disrespect as Fernando Mendoza and Diego Pavia Announce True Intentions

Silverfield’s comments weren’t meant to diminish Bill Belichick’s legacy. With decades of supremacy with the Patriots, eight Super Bowl rings, six as head coach, and a defensive mentality that helped define an era of NFL football, Belichick’s resume speaks for itself. But Silverfield’s argument addressed context and time.

After a career mainly shaped by NFL systems and dynasties headed by Tom Brady, Belichick is entering college football at the age of 72. Silverfield, on the other hand, is about to reach his peak after spending seven years in NFL locker rooms. And Silverfield isn’t competing with Belichick’s past. He’s betting on his own present at Arkansas.