Marshall Dazzles in Arkansas' Scrimmage, Silverfield Looking For Something More

Boise State transfer wideout put on a show Sunday, but his coach says consistency will determine his ceiling

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Chris Marshall (6) wraps up the ball during a passing drill during spring practice at the Arkansas Razorbacks practice facilities. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Throughout the first nine practices of Arkansas fall camp, there has been a lengthy list of wide receivers eyeing a starting role.

For Boise State transfer Chris Marshall, he has the size on the perimeter (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and speed to go along with it which makes him a potential defensive mismatch for the Razorbacks this season.

He proceeded to show off his big play ability in the team's first scrimmage of fall camp by recording over 100 yards receiving and one touchdown.

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"Yeah, statistically [Chris Marshall] stood out, and he stood out [on the field]," Silverfield said. "It was one of those where the stats actually match it, right? Sometimes they’ll read off a name and you’re like, 'Who’s that?' Yeah, Chris had a tremendous day. He continues to show what he’s capable of doing."

Much of the attention has been on the Boise State transfer since he arrived to campus with the most upside of anyone. The former 5-star who signed with Texas A&M out of high school in the 2022 class has bounced around plenty throughout his career, but has one more chance to prove he belongs in the SEC.

Since his days at Texas A&M and Ole MIss, Marshall appears to have put everything together with the Broncos and now Razorbacks. Coaches have raved about his potential all offseason, while KJ Jackson and AJ Hill have talked endlessly about how dangerous of a big play threat he is in the passing game.

When Silverfield's team were finally able to enter Razorback Stadium and go through more of a game feel than regular scrimmage, it was immediately noticeable how dynamic Marshall can be for Arkansas this season.

"I told Chris, 'Listen, you can be as good as any receiver in this country,'" Silverfield said. "And as we’ve talked about before, it’s that consistency thing for him. He works hard. He cares about — even when the fours are in there, he’s over there paying attention. He’s dialed in. He’s hardworking."

For a former 5-star with NFL written all over his frame and talent, Marshall has lost focus throughout his career. For Silverfield, he's looking for guys who want to be challenged to reach their potential which is the mindset of an old school head coach who wants the best for his players.

Those are lessons learned from his high school coaching days under Corky Rogers, Marty Favret at Hampden-Sydney College and even in the NFL with Leslie Frazier. Being a players coach doesn't mean he'll take it easy on anyone, but being intentional by pressing them to perform at a certain level.

For now, Marshall has answered the call, but Silverfield wants to know how he reacts to challenges on the field beginning in Week One against North Alabama.

"But it’s day in, day out because there’s going to come a time...hopefully, I don’t know when that’s going to occur, maybe the first quarter of the first game," Silverfield said. "Maybe it's the first ever pass thrown to him as a Razorback, or maybe his 30th catch of the year. He’s going to drop a ball.

"Then can he line back up and go play football again? Not let that one drop affect him the rest of the game. That’s one of those things we’ve been talking about. Sometimes it’s him coming in my office and talking about, like, it’s a next-play mentality."

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