Coach Silverfield making inroads in Nashville

The state of Tennessee is underrated when it comes to talent. The Volunteer state is slowly getting respect every year as more and more players are getting signed.

The University of Memphis has been recruiting its hometown for years.

Nashville is the other major metropolitan area that produces talent but the Tigers haven't signed a kid from the Nashville area in 9 years.

Running back Curtis Steele from Franklin was the last player the Tigers signed. That was in 2007.

Last year the Tigers offered 5 Nashville area kids.

3* Rontavius Groves (Committed to North Carolina), 4* LB Tyrel Dodson (Committed to Texas A&M), 4* OT Ryan Johnson (Committed to Tennessee), 4* Safety Ikenna Okeke (Committed to Texas A&M), and 3* TE Jordan Wilson (Committed to UCLA).

This year is a little different. The Tigers have a new staff and they have been hitting the recruiting trail hard and often.

So far the Tigers have offered 11 players in the Nashville area in the class of 2017.

4* Jacob Phillips, ILB, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

4* Obinna Eze, OT, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

3* T.J. Carter, CB, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

4* Gentry Bonds, CB, Murfreesboro, TN (Offer List)

3* Landon Guidry, CB, Thompson Station, TN (Offer List)

3* Theo Jackson, S, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

3* Rodney Owens, S, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

3* Kaleb Oliver, S, Murfreesboro, TN (Offer List)

3* Caleb Rozar, ATH, Dickson, TN (Offer List)

3* Ben Hutch, DT, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

3* Rutger Reitmaier, DT, Nashville, TN (Offer List)

One of the coaches that's making inroads in the Music City area is Tigers Offensive Line Coach Ryan Silverfield.

Oakland (TN) 4* 2018 Defensive Tackle D'Andre Litaker was very impressed with Coach Silverfield when Litaker visited Memphis, "Man I love him, he is one of the coaches I started to like real quick."

2017 3* Caleb Rozar said, "I like him a lot."

3* Rodney Owens said, "I feel like he's a great recruiter, we talk consistently."

Coach Silverfield seems to gel quickly with players and that's no surprise to Memphis Head Coach Mike Norvell.

Norvell says Silverfield genuinely cares about people, "Ryan does a great job of building relationships because he takes time to listen and learn about the young men that he recruits. Something we try to pride ourselves on as a staff is that we get to know the young men we recruit not just always focus on some sales pitch."

When Coach Silverfield recruits, he doesn't see it as recruiting but building relationships.

"I think it's important just to be myself. I want any individual I encounter to see me for who I am. The University of Memphis sells itself. And the Tiger football program is one of the best in the country. My mindset is just to build a relationship. It's about getting to know people and them realizing that you care about them, not just as a football player, but as a person."

What's the best thing about recruiting for Coach Silverfield?

"Meeting so many great people. From amazing high school coaches to fantastic young men that realize how special the University of Memphis is, along with our football program."

Will Memphis be able to pull in a Music City area recruit this year?

I asked 4* OT Obinna Eze about Coach Silverfield and his interest in Memphis.

"I like him, as a person, a lot. I think he is one of those guys that really care, and I'm not even talking about football. I love the man."

Eze has offers from the likes of LSU, Michigan, and Alabama. Does Memphis really have a shot at him? Has Coach Silverfield done enough against those power schools to steal one away?

Eze said, "I can tell you Memphis is one of the schools that will be on my table on signing day."