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What They're Saying About Silverfield |Players React to Silverfield Introduction

Ryan Silverfield became the 25th head coach in Memphis football history in December 2019 and began his tenure by leading the Tigers into their first major bowl game appearance: the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas.

In naming Silverfield, the Tigers hired from within. Silverfield served as deputy head coach and offensive line coach during the 2019 season as the Tigers won their first outright conference title in 50 years. Memphis won the 2019 American Athletic Conference championship with a 29-24 win over Cincinnati at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Silverfield was also part of Memphis staffs that led the program to three-straight American Athletic Conference West Division crowns from 2017-19 and four-straight bowl appearances from 2016-19. Behind Silverfield’s contributions, Memphis won 38 games during those four seasons, including going 10-3 in 2017 and 12-1 in 2019. He is the only member of the staff to be part of both 10-plus win seasons.

The 2024 season was a historic one as Silverfield led the Tigers to their first back-to-back 10-win seasons after an 11-2 record and a 42-37 win at the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl over West Virginia. The double-digit win season marked just the sixth in program history. In addition, the Tigers completed a perfect season at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, going undefeated at home (7-0) for the second time of Silverfield’s tenure.
 
Silverfield led Memphis to its 11^th-consecutive bowl appearance in 2024 – the seventh-longest streak in the country and longest among non-Power 4 programs. Silverfield’s 42 wins are the most of any coach in program history through five seasons, while those wins are third most nationally among head coaches hired in 2020. Memphis’ 42 wins with Silverfield at the helm are tied for 17^th most in the nation over that stretch, while its 28 home wins over that period are tied for fifth-most in FBS.
 
Memphis finished the season ranked No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the AP Poll – marking the first time since the 2019 season that the Tigers were ranked in either poll at season’s end. Memphis also cracked into the College Football Playoff Top 25 for the first time in the CFP Rankings era on December 3, 2024. The Tigers checked in at No. 25 after a 34-24 win over then No. 17 Tulane on Thanksgiving Day to snap the Green Wave’s 17-game AAC regular season winning streak. Overall, the Tigers spent 10 weeks ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll during the 2024 season and received votes or were ranked in 14 out of 17 editions of the Coaches Poll. Memphis was ranked in the final five Coaches Polls of the season and spent eight weeks in the rankings in total.
 
Ten total Tigers earned All-AAC status with seven of them being named to the First Team: running back Mario Anderson Jr., wide receiver Roc Taylor, tight end Anthony Landphere, offensive lineman Xavier Hill, linebacker Chandler Martin, defensive lineman William Whitlow Jr. and defensive back Davion Ross. The seven honorees are the most since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013.
 
The American’s all-time leading passer Seth Henigan was named Third Team All-AAC Quarterback while offensive linemen Jonah Gambill and Trent Holler also earned Third Team accolades. The ten total honorees marked the most for Memphis since the 2019 season where it had 14 on the list.
 
Henigan and Roc Taylor both earned invites to the 2025 NFL Draft Combine.

In 2023, Silverfield guided the Tigers to a 10-3 season, including a win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, 36-26, over Iowa State. The 10-win season is just the fifth in program history and his four bowl titles are the most in school history. His 31 victories are the second-most in program history for a head coach in his first four seasons, while those wins rank in a tie for fourth nationally among head coaches hired in 2020.

Silverfield also became the first head coach in Tiger history to earn Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Coach of the Year honors twice. He also earned the accolade in 2020.
 
The Tigers had nine student-athletes earn All-AAC honors in 2023, the most for the team since 2019. Running back Blake Watson and linebacker Chandler Martin earned first-team accolades, while wide receiver Roc Taylor, offensive lineman Xavier Hill, quarterback Seth Henigan and defensive lineman Jaylon Allen were named to the second team. Offensive lineman Jacob Likes and defensive back Simeon Blair earned spots on the third team, while linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku earned honorable-mention.

Under Silverfield’s leadership in 2022, Memphis defeated Utah State, 38-10, in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, becoming the first head coach in program history to earn back-to-back bowl titles. 

Individually, six Tigers earned All-AAC accolades in 2022, led by first-team honorees defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard. Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier "Zay" Cullens earned second-team All-AAC accolades, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named Honorable-Mention All-AAC.

In 2021, Silverfield led the Tigers to the program’s eighth-straight bowl game, extending the longest bowl streak of any non-Power 5 team in the country. Memphis was named EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Champions after Hawai’i was unable to participate.
 
Individually, true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan had a record-breaking season, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors. The Denton, Texas native completed 235-of-393 passes for 3,322 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 3,322 passing yards shattered the school's freshman record previously held by Paxton Lynch in 2013 (2056) and rank sixth overall on the program's single-season list. His 25 touchdowns are tied for the seventh-most in school history.
 
Wide receiver Calvin Austin III was unanimously chosen by the AAC coaches to the first team, one of just three players to be unanimously selected. Joining Austin III on the All-AAC First Team were tight end Sean Dykes, offensive lineman Dylan Parham and linebacker JJ Russell. The four first-team honorees were the most for Memphis since the program had six in 2017. Earning second-team all-conference accolades for the Tigers were defensive lineman John Tate IV and defensive back Quindell Johnson.

In his first full season at the helm of the program in 2020, Silverfield led the Tigers to the team’s first bowl victory since 2014, a 25-10 win over Florida Atlantic in the Montgomery Bowl, becoming the first head coach in school history to win a bowl game in his first year.

Silverfield guided Memphis to an 8-3 record on the season, setting the program record for winning percentage (.727) by a first-year head coach, while also matching the school mark for most wins in a debut year (Mike Norvell, 2016). For his efforts, he was named the 2020 TSWA Coach of the Year.

On the field, Memphis ranked 22nd in the nation in total offense (453.1) and finished 17th in the country in both passing offense (307.9) and first down offense (260). Defensively, the Tigers were 13th in turnovers gained (20), 17th in passes intercepted (12) and 19th in red zone defense (.744).

Quarterback Brady White capped his incredible career at Memphis by winning the 31st William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance. White was also a First-Team Senior CLASS Award All-American, one of nine semifinalists for the Wuerffel Trophy and a top-15 candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Five players earned honors from the American Athletic Conference following the season, with wide receiver Calvin Austin III and defensive lineman O’Bryan Goodson being named to the first team. Defensive back Quindell Johnson was named to the second team, while both tight end Sean Dykes and defensive lineman Morris Joseph earned All-AAC Honorable-Mention accolades.

During the 2019 season, Silverfield developed a young offensive line that returned only two starters from 2018. One of starters -- Dustin Woodard -- moved to center as a regular for the first time in his collegiate career. Silverfield molded a line that blocked for the fourth-best offense in program history (6,249 yards) and the program’s third-best scoring offense (527 points).

Two of Silverfield’s linemen received all-conference accolades in 2019. Woodard was named to the All-American Athletic Conference second team and Dylan Parham earned all-league honorable mention recognition. Silverfield’s line blocked for Kenneth Gainwell, The American’s Rookie of the Year and the program’s fifth 1,000-yard rusher all-time (1,425 yards), and for all-league second team performers in quarterback Brady White, wide receivers Damonte Coxie and Antonio Gibson, and tight end Joey Magnifico. White had more than 3,000 yards passing and Coxie posted more than 1,000 yards receiving, both for a second-straight campaign. After the season, Woodard was a seventh round draft selection in the 2020 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.

Silverfield served as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator in 2018, overseeing the team’s most consistent unit with all five starters playing every game. One year after blocking for an offense that featured consensus All-American wide receiver Anthony Miller and set a school record for passing touchdowns, the offensive line spent the 2018 season in the trenches blocking for the program’s first unanimous All-American in running back Darrell Henderson. During the 2018 season, Memphis set school records for total yards, points scored and rushing touchdowns. In 2017, they set the standard for passing touchdowns.

Collectively, Silverfield’s 2018 unit was one of 10 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in college football. For his role leading the offensive line, Silverfield was named one of six finalists for the offensive line coach of the year award sponsored by FootballScoop. Silverfield also was recognized as one of the top recruiters in his time at Memphis. In 2017, he was ranked the fourth-best recruiter in The American by 247sports.com.

A 2018 Frank Broyles Award candidate, Silverfield first came to Memphis in 2016 with more than 18 years of coaching experience at the high school, college and NFL levels. He remains the only coach to have worked with an NCAA single-season rushing leader and an NFL single-season rushing leader. At UCF, Silverfield helped tutor Kevin Smith when the junior back led college football with 2,567 yards in 2007. Five seasons later in 2012, Silverfield was at Minnesota, where the Vikings’ offensive line paved the way for Adrian Peterson’s 2,097-yard season.

Just prior to coming to Memphis, Silverfield spent the last half of the 2015 football campaign with the NFL’s Detroit Lions. In a mid-season staff shake-up, the Lions brought in Silverfield as an assistant offensive line coach, and the hire paid immediate dividends. His tenure with the Lions was Silverfield’s second stint in the NFL.

Before Silverfield’s arrival, the Lions had a 2-7 record in the three games before he came on board, Detroit’s offensive line allowed 15 sacks for 105 yards. In the season’s final stretch, Silverfield helped mold an offensive line that propelled the Lions to a 5-2 record. The Lions’ offensive line allowed just more than three sacks per game in the last seven contests, and quarterback Matthew Stafford thrived behind Silverfield’s new-look offensive line. In the seven games with Silverfield on staff, Stafford threw 17 touchdowns and only one interception. Before that, Stafford had 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Preceding his 2015 mid-season jump to the NFL, Silverfield was a senior offensive analyst on head coach Todd Graham’s Arizona State staff. In his short time in Tempe, Ariz., the Sun Devils posted a 5-5 record on their way to a final 6-6 regular-season mark and a Motel 6 Cactus Bowl berth.

Silverfield served as an offensive consultant at Toledo in 2014 and helped the Rockets to a 9-4 overall record and a 7-1 Mid-American Conference (MAC) mark. Toledo tied for the MAC West crown and earned a GoDaddy.com Bowl berth. The Rockets’ nine wins were the most since 2001, and Toledo’s 63-44 bowl victory over Arkansas State was its first postseason win since 2011.

The Rockets’ offensive line helped put one of the most prolific offensive seasons in Toledo football record book. The 2014 offense set school records for total offense, total rushing yardage and first downs per game and also ranked among the program’s top-five in points per game (2nd), touchdowns scored (3rd) and rushing touchdowns (3rd).

Leading the charge on Silverfield’s offensive line was Greg Mancz, the 2014 Vern Smith Award/MAC Player of the Year award recipient. Mancz, also an All-America second team selection, became the first offensive lineman in MAC history to be honored as the league’s Player of the Year. Fellow linemen Josh Hendershot and Jeff Myers joined Mancz in earning All-MAC recognition.

Toledo’s offensive line proved fruitful for the 2014 Rockets’ attack. Toledo led the MAC in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and first downs. Rockets running back Kareem Hunt led the MAC in rushing (1,631 yards) and was tops in the nation in yards per carry (8.0). Hunt was an All-MAC first team pick and also earned GoDaddy.com Bowl MVP honors (271 yards/5 touchdowns).

Before jumping back to the collegiate ranks, Silverfield spent six seasons on the Minnesota Vikings staff. In his time in Minnesota, Silverfield helped the Vikings to two NFC North Division crowns and three NFL playoffs appearances, including a trip to the 2009 NFC championship game. Silverfield began his Vikings’ stint as an offensive quality control staffer, before moving to a defensive line staff assistant in 2009 and 2010. He moved to the offensive side from 2011-13, assisting Jeff Davidson with the offensive line.

It was in the midst of his three years working with the Minnesota offensive line that Peterson had one of the most-prolific, single-season rushing performances in NFL history. In 2012, Peterson ran for a league-best 2,097 yards, falling just eight yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105. Peterson was named the 2012 NFL MVP.

Prior to his time in the NFL, Silverfield spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons at UCF. In his two campaigns in Orlando, Fla., he served as an offensive graduate assistant his first season and moved to a defensive graduate assistant spot in 2007. Silverfield was a member of the 2007 Knights staff that led the squad to a 10-4 record, a 7-1 Conference USA mark and the C-USA East Division crown. UCF defeated Tulsa in the C-USA championship game and earned the league’s AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth.

As an offensive graduate assistant, Silverfield worked with Smith in 2006. That season – Smith’s sophomore campaign – he rushed for 934 yards in only nine games, setting up his explosive junior season. As a junior, Smith was the NCAA rushing champion.

In Silverfield’s season working with the Knights defense, UCF ranked among the top four in C-USA in scoring defense, rushing defense, passing defense and turnovers forced. The Knights held half of their opponents to 20 or fewer points in the 2007 campaign.

In 2005, Silverfield served as the quarterbacks coach at Jacksonville University. In 2004, at the age of 23, Silverfield served as head coach at Memorial Day High School in Savannah, Ga.

A 2003 Hampden-Sydney College (Va.) graduate, Silverfield coached four seasons at his alma mater, starting as an offensive assistant in 2000. Then, at age 20, he was tapped as the Tigers defensive line coach and spent two seasons at that post (2001-02). In 2003, Silverfield moved back to offense and coached the tight ends and H-backs. That season, the Tigers went 9-1 and had the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense in the country (47.0 ppg). Hampden-Sydney scored 45 or more points in seven of its 10 games in 2003. Silverfield graduated from HSC in 2003, cum laude with an Economics degree. 

Silverfield started coaching in 1999 at his alma mater, The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. He played for the Bulldogs and was a member of two Florida state championship teams (1995 and 1998). During his playing career, Silverfield helped Bolles to a No. 1 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 national high school football poll. Immediately after his playing career, Silverfield jumped to the coaching ranks as a Bolles School assistant.

Ryan is married to his wife, Katie, and the couple have twin girls.

Silverfield At A Glance

Alma Mater

Hampden-Sydney College, 2003

Coaching Experience

The Bolles School	Assistant Coach (1999)
Hampden-Sydney College	Offensive Assistant (2000) Assistant Coach, Defensive Line (2001-02) Assistant Coach, Tight Ends, H-Backs (2003)
Memorial Day High School	Head Coach (2004)
Jacksonville	Quarterbacks (2005)
Central Florida	Graduate Assistant, Offense (2006) Graduate Assistant, Defense (2007)
Minnesota Vikings	Offensive Quality Control Staff, Defensive Line Staff Assistant (2008-10) Assistant Offensive Line Coach (2011-13)
Toledo	Offensive Consultant (2014)
Arizona State	Senior Offensive Analyst (2015)
Detroit Lions	Assistant Offensive Line Coach (2015)
Memphis	Assistant Coach, Offensive Line (2016) Run Game Coordinator, Offensive Line (2017) Assistant Head Coach, Run Game Coordinator, Offensive Line (2018) Deputy Head Coach, Run Game Coordinator, Offensive Line (2019) Head Coach (2019-Present)

Bowl Coaching Experience

2014	GoDaddy.com Bowl
2016	Boca Raton Bowl
2017	Liberty Bowl
2018	Birmingham Bowl
2019	Goodyear Cotton Bowl
2020	Montgomery Bowl
2021	EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl
2022	SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
2023	AutoZone Liberty Bowl
2024	Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl