Silverfield Doesn’t Know What Razorbacks Are, Utes Will Provide Answers

Arkansas, Utah probably in same boat which makes Week 2 pivotal for both coaches

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield at Red-White Game in Fayetteville, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks will kickoff fall practice with a team in the upper half of the FBS with 55% of its returning production back in 2026, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly.

Arkansas just happens to be tied with Week Two opponent Utah for No. 54 nationally in Connelly's analytical ranking, but still ranking dead-last in the SEC.

Now, that data may not be particularly indicative when it comes to full team success either as Florida, Auburn, LSU, and Kentucky all collectively struggled despite ranking in the Top 50 last season.

Like the Razorbacks, each of those four schools fired their head coaches at some point during or after the 2025 season.

Even Clemson struggled mightily in 2025 after starting the year at No. 1, finishing the season with a 7-6 record while still producing a school-record nine NFL Draft picks last month.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

So, don't shoot new Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield down when he comes out and tries to temper expectations because he doesn't know what he has yet.

"I don’t know, when we line up, how we even match up against Utah," Silverfield told On3 earlier this week. "I don’t know how we match up with Georgia in our first SEC game from a talent standpoint.

"So let’s be the best in the country in the controllables. Best in the country in attitude. Best in the country in effort, those things have nothing to do with talent. We’re going to harp on that all the time. Best in the country in how much film we study, and the execution and discipline."

People will read these comments from Silverfield and immediately think he is in over his head as a coach. The fact is, new Utah coach Morgan Scalley is probably in the same exact boat at this point of the offseason.

Many are overlooking Silverfield's entire body of work over the past 20 years at the college or NFL level where he's been in on one losing season as a staffer or head coach.

That lone losing campaign came in his first year as a graduate assistant with UCF under then coach George O'Leary. He is 50-25 at the college level, which already discredits anyone comparing him to the failed Chad Morris tenure eight years ago.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback AJ Hill during spring practice drills. | Arkansas Communications

What is Silverfield really saying? That it's one thing to line up against each other through intrasquad scrimmages, practice dummies or a spring game and another trotting out in Week 2 against a fellow FBS opponent that won 11 games.

The Utes only lost two games under former coach Kyle Whittingham in 2025, but those came against the two best Big 12 teams in Texas Tech and BYU.

The Red Raiders dismantled a then undefeated Top 25 Utah team on its home turf, 34-10. Then, the Utes suffered another setback with a three-point loss to BYU on the road, but it took a garbage time touchdown with less than one minute remaining in the fourth quarter to make the score look a bit more respectable.

Much like Arkansas, Utah will be breaking in a new head coach, but Silverfield does have an edge on him in terms of experience. New Utes coach Morgan Scalley played for Whittingham from 2001-04, hired in a program administrative role in 2006, spent nine seasons as a position coach, promoted to defensive coordinator in 2016, and received a "head coach in waiting" tag ahead of the 2025 season.

Scalley is fighting the battle of a restructured coaching staff, several key contributors going through spring practice at Michigan and two offensive lineman selected as first round NFL Draft picks. That makes Year 1 a bit tougher than it would have been a few years ago, but that's the kind of landscape every coach faces nowadays.

He is fortunate to return starting quarterback Devon Dampier, who completed 64% of his passes for 2,490 yards, 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He was also a major factor in the running game with an additional 835 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, which has proved dynamite for Arkansas' defense over the years.

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Quincy Rhodes during spring practice. | Munir El-Khatib-allHOGS Images

Have Hogs Really improved Defensive Line?

Arkansas' rebuilt defensive front of Quincy Rhodes, David Oke, Hunter Osbourne along with capable pass rushers Charlie Collins and Steven Soles off the edge will be a huge test for Utah up front.

One of the tackle positions will be occupied by incoming true freshman Kevin Obot, who was considered a composite 5-star by 247Sports in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Sparingly used super seniors Zereoue Williams (offensive tackle) and Alex Harrison (guard) are expected to start this fall, but have yet to put a full season of work in due to injuries throughout their careers.

Being able to force Dampier out of the pocket combined with Arkansas' added speed and football IQ at each level of the defense could be a talking point many have looked over to this point.

Can Hogs OL Contain Utah?

One question about Arkansas this fall is their total effectiveness along the offensive line considering only two returning starters in center Caden Kitler and right guard Kobe Branham are back.

Arkansas' coaching staff is confident it can go up to nine-deep along the offensive line. There is confidence in portal additions such as Louisiana's Bryant Williams (Top 100 transfer), Malachi Breland (Memphis), Adam Hawkes (Oregon State), Josiah Clemons (Memphis) and Davion Weatherspoon (Ohio).

Underclassmen such as redshirt sophomore Kavion Broussard, redshirt freshman Kash Courtney and Ouachita Baptist (DII) transfer Terence Roberson are all believed to have bright futures.

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive line coach Marcus Johnson at a spring practice. | Munir El-Khatibe-allHOGS Images

Utah was fairly consistent at bringing pressure when Scalley led the defense, often finishing in the Top 10 nationally in sacks since 2020.

The Utes brought in North Texas defensive end Ethan Day (7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks in 2025), Wyoming transfer Lucas Samsula (1.5 sacks) to go along with disruptive returnee Kash Dillon (4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and Lance Hotzclaw (4.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks).

If Arkansas can limit Utah's pressure packages to a manageable rate that will be a huge key to Silverfield's quest for an early signature victory over a potential Top 25 opponent.

Unproven Pass Catchers

Both the Razorbacks and Utes are expected to feature receiving corps with limited Power Conference experience.

Arkansas has one returnee in CJ Brown with over 300 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, and Ismael Cisse started his career at Stanford in 2023 before transferring to the Razorbacks last offseason.

Cisse didn't play last year following a freak weight room incident where he tore ligaments in his wrist that required season-ending surgery. He was held out of the spring game, but did go through all conditioning programs and a full participant throughout spring ball.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green during pregame warmups against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

The biggest question is depth behind those two as Arkansas turns to transfers Jamari Hawkins (Memphis), Chris Marshall (Boise State) and Donovan Faupel (New Mexico State) as potential starters this fall.

Each were playmakers at the Group of Five level, but will be tested against a Utah defense that brings in experienced defensive back transfers in Elijah Reed and James Chenault.

Arkansas likes to find space that allows receivers and running backs out of the backfield to pick up chunk yardage in the passing game. If quarterback KJ Jackson has time to operate well with short-to-intermediate options and limit mistakes through the air, then the Razorbacks have a chance to make it a track meet in Salt Lake City.

It's much of the same for Utah, as Dampier will have some new weapons at his disposal from the G5 ranks in Utah State transfer Braden Pegan (926 yards, 5 TD), and San Jose State's Kyri Shoels (768 yards, 2 TD).

Returning wideout Larry Simmons is back after recording 15 catches, 280 yards and six touchdowns last season. Former Mississippi State transfer Creed Whittemore is expected to have a bigger role after several departures took place in the room after last season.

Whichever quarterback is able to play under control with a rebuilt receving room will probably be the team that pulls out a win in week two.