'Lunatic' Silverfield Desperate For Arkansas Win Against Texas A&M

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's going on 24 months now since the Arkansas Razorbacks last won an SEC game.

The date was Oct. 26, 2024, opponnent was Mississippi State in Year 1 under coach Jeff Lebby. While it was a shootout early on, the Bulldogs couldn't quite keep up and Arkansas ultimately won 56-24.

The Razorbacks have beat who they're supposed to so far with victories over North Alabama and Tulsa, as expected. However, blowout losses to of top-15 ranked Utah and Georgia teams came a week apart, but they both felt different.

That's because the process coach Ryan Silverfield talks about as he instills his culture into the program is beginning to resonate within the four walls of the football facility. Not only is the first-year Head Hog ready to get SEC play started again, he's hungry for another win.

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Ryan Silverfield during the first half against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I’m damn hungry, and it’s desperation,” Silverfield said on his weekly radio show. “My job’s on the line every time I wake up and go to work, and I want our guys to feel the exact same way. Every single day is Super Bowl Sunday.

"I told our guys, ‘I want to start practicing like it’s damn game day and have a sense of pride and passion about it,’ and maybe I’m a lunatic, but that’s the only way I can think. I think that’s how our guys are starting to become wired.”

He doesn't want to forget that losing feeling and he certainly doesn't want his players taking it for granted even if it was just a 34-6 win over Tulsa. If last week's game was the most important one of his entire coaching career, then that has to make Texas A&M part of the crossroads.

The buy-in teamwide has been a work in progress since Silverfield took over 11 months ago.

"It don't matter if we win, we lose some. Every day is a mentality to get better at something," Arkansas defensive back Shelton Lewis said on Tuesday. "No matter what it is, even if it's off the field, it's just the mentality of getting better. Finding that one thing that, okay, I'm going to do better this week or I'm going to do better the next week. So, that's our mentality."

Fellow defensive back Joker Johnson even alluded to that during the postgame following Saturday's victory over Tulsa. It all comes down to the little things such as effort and willingness to do what it takes to win.

While there were some issues with communication, assignments and a few other things in the early stages of the season, Silverfield appears to be leaning on leadership of guys who have been there and done that throughout their careers to establish his foundation.

Whether that sentiment comes from transfers from programs with established cultures or some of the players who have been around the block a time or two at Arkansas, it's vitally important early on in Silverfield's tenure for everyone to be on the same page.

"It's easier to help other people when they kind of questioning what's their job," Shelton continued. "So once everybody just took that to another level, it just been clicking together for us and uh we've been at it for what, nine months going on 10. It just it's about time for us to pick it up and take it to another level."

If the Razorbacks have truly taken their buy-in to another level, then Saturday night at Kyle Field going up against Texas A&M will give that answer almost immediately. Kickoff in College Station is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

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