Silverfield Probably Wasn't Arkansas' First Choice, Neither Was Houston Nutt

Razorbacks’ latest coaching gamble feels familiar, history says outcome might surprise everyone

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield at spring practice. | Munir El-Khatib-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield is more likely to have an Arkansas tenure similar to the likes of Houston Nutt instead of Chad Morris.

Let's be honest here, Nutt was far from a sure thing when he arrived to Fayetteville in 1998.

Outside of being the Razorbacks' back-up quarterback for a couple of seasons before transferring down the road to Oklahoma State, what other prerequisites did he have?

He had back-to-back 11 win seasons with Ohio Valley Conference championships at Murray State, two appearances in Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs and a trip to the quarterfinals in 1996.

Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt, center, gets his team motivated during practice at Brentwood Academy on Dec. 27, 2002, as they prepare for the Music City Bowl. | George Walker IV / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC

In his lone season at Boise State of all places, the Broncos were 4-7 overall, which was a two-win improvement over the program's first year at the Division I level.

When Frank Broyles came calling Dec. 10, 1997, Nutt wasn't Arkansas' first choice. And he probably wasn't the third or fourth choice.

Our Bob Stephens reminisced on the 1998 coaching search last summer ahead of the Razorbacks' monumental meeting on the gridiron against Arkansas State.

Former defensive end turned Miami Hurricanes head coach Butch Davis topped Broyles' list of targets following a disappointing 5-6 season in Coral Gables.

After Davis passed on the job, it was on to then Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville, a native of Hermitage, who turned down a $500,000 contract after the Rebels offered a raise to $750,000. Broyles obviously didn't want to get in a bidding war for a coach who was only 1-4 against the Razorbacks at the time.

Broyles then interviewed Oklahoma State coach Bob Simmons after he led the Cowboys to a surprising 8-4 record, which was the school's first winning season since Barry Sanders ran wild in 1988.

In one final desperation heave, the Razorbacks targeted then New Mexico coach Dennis Franchione who led the Lobos to a 9-4 record, the program's best season since 1982.

After being turned down one last time, Broyles shifted his search to the Northwest, calling Nutt home after nearly 20 years.

"Fourteen candidates," Nutt told Arkansas Razorbacks on SI. "Jim Lindsey was on the committee and had a lot to do (with me getting the job). One thing he always said was, "With Tuberville, Franchione, all these guys who interviewed, nobody wanted it more than I did."

While Silverfield was only across the Mississippi River, nobody truly knows if he was Arkansas' first, third, or even ninth choice down Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek's list.

Names such as James Franklin, whose party showed little to no interest toward being at Arkansas, SMU's Rhett Lashlee, UNLV's Dan Mullen, and even Jon Gruden were all popular early on. But there was never any true interest of various coaches throughout the process.

When USF coach Alex Golesh had reportedly agreed on a deal in principle with Arkansas, there was still skepticism which led to a very long week of discourse across social media, coffee shops and bait shops.

South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh greets Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield after a game at Camping World Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

So, when Silverfield was the first domino to fall on a busy Sunday morning, it made sense why fans were a bit shocked. Fans dismissed that he had a 50-25 overall record plus a 5-1 record against the likes of Golesh (Auburn), Jon Sumrall (Florida) and Eric Morris (Oklahoma State).

He was 25-4 in games leading up to the moment Silverfield was presumably offered the job. That stretch included several wins over Power Four teams.

For a coaching search focused on names, it made sense why many felt duped into thinking they'd be getting someone like Franklin, Lashlee or even Mullen. Nov. 30 felt much more like the night Lane Kiffin's camp spurned Arkansas at midnight just to be hired by nearby rival Ole Miss instead.

Arkansas fans probably felt the same way when Nutt was hired to replace Danny Ford.

The sky was falling.

That rich Southwest Conference tradition was fading quickly.

What the fanbase didn't know then was the Razorbacks were soon to enjoy a ride that included three SEC West division titles, two SEC Championship Game appearances and four seasons of 9+ wins.

For those in their mid-30s to mid-40s, 1998 was the beginning of a stretch where the Razorbacks were a nationally respected program, and contenders in the SEC every three years or so.

Nutt elevated the Arkansas job enough to lure Bobby Petrino back to the college game from the Atlanta Falcons mid-season. His success in Fayetteville elevated the Razorbacks so much that it attracted Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema fresh off a third straight Rose Bowl appearance.

That's where the Razorbacks' ascension to the pinnacle of college football came to a halt, and where Silverfield can become the man who can strike a match that can restart the fire.

Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield looks over his football team during spring practice. | Razorback Communications

Silverfield doesn't talk a big game, except when he has promised to bring in a historic recruiting class for 2027.

And it's on pace to possibly match one of Arkansas' 2008 class which featured Tyler Wilson, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Chris Gragg, Jerico Nelson, Dennis Johnson, Tramain Thomas, and Michigan transfer quarterback Ryan Mallett.

What Silverfield is going to need to do is win, and he's had no problem doing that throughout the years. He's been on a winning staff in 18-of-19 seasons of his college coaching career going back to 2006 at Central Florida, and that has to count for something.

The Razorbacks open up the season with a struggling FCS program North Alabama in Week 1, but arguably his biggest test of his first season is the outcome at Utah in Week 2.

Should Arkansas find a way to defeat a Top 25 team on the road, that victory alone can spark a change, ultimate buy-in and a team looking to get back on track after a disappointing 2-10 season.

Arkansas needed some life breathed into its program, and that's why Silverfield is the man who can get it done quickly.