National Championship-Winning HC Gives Silverfield Stamp of Approval

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — You'd be hard-pressed to find a member of the national media who believes Ryan Silverfield can turn things around at Arkansas.

That's a fair assessment given that UA is coming off a 2-10 season and Silverfield, who has never been the head coach at a Power Four program before, has yet to coach a game.

Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, who led the Tigers to a national championship in 2010, is one of the few who is sticking his neck out for Silverfield going into the 2026 season.

"I think Arkansas, last year, lost five or six games by 10 points or less," Chizik said Monday in an interview with 103.7 The Buzz, referencing Arkansas 0-6 record in one-score games in 2025. "It wasn't like they weren't in games. But now you got another guy coming in there who's an offensive guy who I think can get that back on track."

" I think it's gonna be really interesting to see how Ryan does, and I think he's gonna do okay." - @CoachGeneChizik on Arkansas' upcoming football season @DavidBazzel @RogerDoyleScott
Full interview: https://t.co/dwHiRJJVLB pic.twitter.com/5HeAtG67oV
— 103.7 The Buzz (@1037TheBuzz) July 20, 2026

Chizik approved of the hire of Ron Roberts, who has SEC experience as a defensive coordinator at Auburn and Florida.

"I'm a fan of the Ron Roberts hire on defense," Chizik said. "I think what he did at Florida when he eventually took the defense over, what he's done in the past, I'm a fan of him. I know he's a football guy. I think he's really good.

"I think Ryan has put things in place. Obviously, they're going to make a decision on who's goiing to be the quarterback. That's where everything starts, right? But you have a guy that's proven top 25 offenses much pretty every year he was at Memphis. Then you got a guy on defense in Ron Roberts that I really believe in."

Chizik sees the lack of hype around Silverfield's first UA squad as a blessing in disguise.

"The fact that you mentioned there's zero expectations, I think that's a good thing," Chizik said. "I think they can go into the season and play and just have fun and be physical and do all the things. Now, their schedule's brutal. I think it's going to be really interesting to see how Ryan does, and I think he's gonna do okay."

Brutal schedule or not, having a new coach bringing close to 80 new players, bigger coaching staff and having more resources at his disposal should at least kickstart the turnaround before kickoff of the season opener.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach coach Ryan Silverfield calls the hogs during a timeout in the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Bud Walton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest thing Silverfield must do now is win behind the microphone Thursday and parlay that to some on-field success against a manageable five-game stretch starting at home with Tennessee.

Razorback fans certainly wouldn't mind if Silverfield's first two years follow the trend of Chizik, who led Auburn to eight wins in his first year in 2009 before winning the 2010 national championship with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton.

The Tigers finished with an unblemished 13-0 record with a few comeback victories to finish of its storybook season.

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