Bolles alumnus Ryan Silverfield ’99 has been named Head Coach for the University of Arkansas football program, announced by the school on November 30. Silverfield takes over the Razorbacks’ program following six successful seasons as the head coach at the University of Memphis.

Silverfield tallied a 50-25 record as head coach at Memphis, with two 10+ win seasons in 2023 and 2024. He extended the Tigers’ streak of consecutive bowl appearances to 12, the longest among non-Power 4 programs in the nation. Silverfield became the first head coach in Memphis’ history to earn Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year honors twice.

Silverfield joined Memphis 2016 as offensive line coach and was promoted to Run Game Coordinator in 2017 and Deputy Head Coach in 2018. He has prior experience at the high school, college and NFL levels coaching with the Detroit Lions, Arizona State University, University of Toledo, Minnesota Vikings, UCF, Jacksonville University, Memorial Day High School and his college alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College. He began his coaching career at Bolles, where he coached for one season. During his playing career at Bolles, Silverfield was a member of the 1995 and 1998 state championship teams and helped the Bulldogs to a No.1 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 national poll.