Making the case for Ryan Silverfield

With Mike Norvell headed for the greener grass of Florida State the Memphis Tigers are in a hunt for their next coach. TigerSportsReport already has a Coaching Hot Board where we list who we feel are the potential candidates.

Now we'll take them one at a time and make a case for them on why they should be the next head coach for the Tigers. First up is Ryan Silverfield.

Current position: Memphis Deputy Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line

Age: 39

Coaching experience: 20 years

Salary: $295,000

Ryan Silverfield has been coaching football at various levels for 20 years. As a player at Bolles High (Jacksonville, FL) he was a member of the 1995 and 1998 state championship teams and helped them to a No.1 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 national poll.

He went straight into coaching in 1999 when he became an assistant at Bolles.

In 2000 he went to Hampden-Sydney College (Va.) and served as an offensive assistant. In '01 and '02 he coached their defensive lines. In '03 he went back to the offensive side and coach the tight ends and running backs. That year they went 9-1. They also had the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense with 47 points per game. They scored 45 or more points in 7 of their 10 games.

In 2004 at the young age of 23 years old, he was named head coach of Memorial Day High School in Savannah, Georgia.

In 2005 he was hired by Jacksonville University to coach their quarterbacks.

In 2006-2007 he was at UCF.

2008 Silverfield joined the NFL ranks and spent 6 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

In 2014 he was at Toledo and then went back to the NFL with the Lions in 2015.

He came to Memphis in 2016 with Mike Norvell and is the last remaining assistant from Norvell's first season.

The guy can coach. In 2007 at UCF, Silverfield helped tutor Kevin Smith when he led college football with 2,567 yards. In 2012 Silverfield was at Minnesota and the Vikings' offensive line paved the way for Adrian Peterson's 2,097-yard season.

How many coaches can say they helped coach a NCAA's and NFL's single season rusher leader?

Want more evidence that he's ready to make the jump?

Memphis 3-star OL commit Brackston Alford- "I feel like me and Silverfield have a great relationship. I think he would make a great head coach and can succeed as a head coach."

Memphis 3-star OL commit Jonah Gamill- "If Ryan Silverfield left then I would hopefully go with them. But if Silverfield stays I will still go to Memphis."

Memphis commit 2-star DB commit Sylvonta Oliver- "It would cool if he got the job because me and Coach Silverfield have a nice relationship already. He cares about his players . He has been keeping up on me since I been committed."

Former players have vouched for Silverfield too.

Drew Kyser was a Tiger that started at Center for Memphis 52 times from 2015-2018.

"Silverfield is the man for the job and I will be mad if he doesn’t get it because he deserves it. He is a Memphis man now! He loves everything about Memphis. He is one heck of a coach. He helped Norvell do majority of the game planing and really help run the show. He knows what it takes to win championships and he knows what it’s like to lead. He not only will take a team to the championship and win but will also help grow boys into men. That’s what he did my 3 years with him. He helped develop all of us into men and how to be a great husband, father, son, and brother. He is the man for the job!"

Former Memphis OL Gabe Kuhn also had high praise for Silverfield, "He’s a hardcore players coach and certainly deserves a look. Best coach I ever had."

Silverfield can also recruit at a high level. Memphis OL Obinna Eze and CB T.J. Carter were both 4-star recruits with major FBS offers. Both were recruited by Ryan Silverfield.

A current assistant coach in the AAC that coached against Silverfield and wished to remain anonymous said that Silverfield would be a good choice for Memphis.

Give us your thoughts in the Tigers' Lair