Paul Finebaum Names SEC Program That Won't Win 8 Games

In sports, sometimes change can bring new life to a program. Sometimes that change is small, like a new starter, but sometimes it's big, like replacing a head coach who has stalled.

The last part is what the Arkansas Razorbacks elected to do this offseason. After starting the season 2-3 last year, the Razorbacks fired head coach Sam Pittman after six seasons at the helm.

Pittman once seemed like the guy who was going to get Arkansas back on track. In his second year at the helm, he led the Razorbacks to a 9-4 season.

However, he never came close to that success again, instead having two 7-6 seasons, a 4-8 season and then the 2-3 start to last season.

Razorbacks Hire Ryan Silverfield to Lead the Rebuild

Arkansas has since replaced him with former Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield, who went 50-24 in six seasons at Memphis. The hope is that he can pull Arkansas out of the cellar of the SEC.

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Ryan Silverfield looks on during the spring game. | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

For Silverfield, change likely won't be immediate. Instead, it'll be a gradual process of slowly building success. ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that while he likes Silverfield as a coach, he doesn't see much success in Year 1.

Paul Finebaum Doesn't See a Quick Turnaround

"I like Silverfield, I was just being honest," Finebaum said. "When you look at this schedule, I don't see a lot of wins. I don't think that's being disrespectful. I think it's just being honest... I could have lied and said 8-4, but there aren't eight wins on that schedule."

The reality is that in Year 1, Silverfield doesn't have the talent to be able to compete at a high level in the conference. On top of that, the schedule is going to be tough to navigate.

The Razorbacks face six teams that are projected to be ranked before the 2026 season. Those teams are the Utah Utes, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns and the LSU Tigers.

Progress, Not Eight Wins, Should Define Silverfield's First Season

For Arkansas to have an eight win season, it would likely have to win all six games against non-ranked foes, and also knock off two of those ranked opponents. The likelihood of that happening is next to zero.

The reality is that Silverfield shouldn't be judged solely by Arkansas' win total in Year 1. The more important question is whether the Razorbacks look more competitive, establish a clear identity and show signs that the program is moving in the right direction.

If those pieces fall into place, even a five or six-win season would represent meaningful progress after last year's 2-10 campaign.

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