There will never be an era of University of Memphis football quite like the one we witnessed under head coach Ryan Silverfield. Just consider how Silverfield’s Tiger tenure began (on the sideline for the biggest game in program history, the 2019 Cotton Bowl) and ended (moving 300 miles west to take over an Arkansas program in the mighty SEC). The Cotton Bowl gig was a gift from Silverfield’s predecessor, Mike Norvell, as the latter chose to depart for Florida State. But taking charge at one of the 16 programs in the country’s greatest football conference? Such a stride up the college football career ladder was not so much as a thought bubble for the likes of Chuck Stobart, Rip Scherer, or Tommy West. Ryan Silverfield made about as much out of six years in blue and gray as he possibly could.
Silverfield is the only coach in Memphis history to have as many as three bowl wins (his teams won four). He is the only coach in Memphis history to have two 10-win seasons. He’s the third coach to win 50 games at Memphis and he lost only 24. Again, look at the records of his predecessors over the last half-century and tell me how dreadful it is that Memphis didn’t win a conference title on Silverfield’s watch.
And the Tigers have played fun football. Were it not for a missed chip-shot of a field goal attempt on Thanksgiving against Navy, the Tigers’ streak of 20-point games would now be at 52. In 24 games under Larry Porter (2010-11), Memphis scored 20 points seven times. Thanks also to the astounding work of Justin Fuente (2012-15) and Mike Norvell (2016-19), Memphis football has enjoyed 12 years without a losing season. Remember the elation when the Tigers beat mighty Tennessee in 1996? That was in the middle of an eight-year stretch without a winning season.
As Memphis athletic director Ed Scott considers the biggest hire of his career, we also need to remember that Ryan Silverfield took over the Tiger program when “NIL” was merely a soccer score. Silverfield’s successor will be required to find and attract talented players, sure, but he’ll also need to make the most of name/image/likeness funds in a world where American Conference teams are in a different party suite from the four “power” leagues. The 2025 Tiger roster has included more than 70 transfers, and this should encourage those concerned about a transition hiccup for the program. There is time (starting yesterday) to build a Division I football roster, but it will take a different set of skills than those Silverfield developed prior to his days in Memphis.
The 2025 season was not Silverfield’s best. A 6-0 start (including a win over Arkansas) had Memphis in the conversation for the College Football Playoff’s lone slot for non-power-league teams. But then the second half was littered with ugly losses: at UAB and worse, home losses to Tulane and Navy. The Tigers were within a touchdown in three of their losses, making the pain that much more acute. Another 10-win season was within reach, if not quite a major bowl game.
Back to Ed Scott and the single most important hire for the future of U of M athletics. Last summer, Scott leaned in during an interview and emphasized his top priority this year was to help Silverfield and the football program win a conference championship. He also leaned in to emphasize the competitor he remains (since his baseball playing days). My guess is the Memphis AD leans in to this decision, knowing a renovated football stadium means little if the team on the field isn’t competing for championships and, ultimately, a slot in one of those power leagues. The mission is clear: Make the Ryan Silverfield era a prelude to the greatest in Tiger football history.