Arkansas men’s basketball coach John Calipari offered a glowing endorsement of new Razorbacks football coach Ryan Silverfield during his weekly radio show at Sassy’s Red House in Fayetteville on Monday, Dec. 2. Though Calipari joked that he doesn’t “know much about football,” he still wanted to get an honest read on Arkansas’ newest hire, so he tapped into the city where both coaches built major portions of their careers: Memphis.
Calipari spent nine seasons as Memphis’ head basketball coach, while Silverfield spent the last decade with the Tigers’ football program, including guiding the team to back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2023 and 2024. With that overlap, Calipari decided over the weekend to contact several “old buddies” from his Memphis days to ask about Silverfield’s character and reputation.
What he heard only reassured him.
"“I don’t know much about football, okay, but I wanted to know, is he a good guy? And they came back and they all were glowing about him,” Calipari said on the show.Coach Calipari
“They said he’s a worker. He’s a grinder. He is a terrific person, and then I’m hearing they’re like top-20 offense every year.”"
The connection between the two coaches runs deeper than geography. Both made history during their tenures at Memphis: Calipari led the Tigers to their second Final Four and the winningest season in program history in 2007–08, while Silverfield delivered Memphis its first stretch of consecutive 10-win seasons. Each left a major legacy before arriving in Fayetteville, and their paths now intersect as fellow Razorbacks.
For Arkansas fans, Calipari’s stamp of approval is no small endorsement. His track record, national stature, and long relationships within Memphis athletics carry weight. No one is suggesting Silverfield will replicate Calipari’s Hall-of-Fame-caliber basketball career, but if he brings even a fraction of that success to the football program, Razorback fans would gladly take it.
Arkansas also plans to formally introduce Silverfield to Razorback Nation during the next home basketball game. The No. 23 Hogs (5–2) will host No. 6 Louisville (7–0) on Wednesday, Dec. 3 in the ACC-SEC Challenge, marking the first public spotlight for the newest leader of Arkansas football.