New head coach and funding stoke Arkansas' football championship fire
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New Arkansas Razorback football head coach Ryan Silverfield shakes hands with students before a basketball game Wednesday night. Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Arkansas is making a significant new financial commitment to its football program as new head coach Ryan Silverfield steps onto the field, University of Arkansas director of athletics Hunter Yurachek said Thursday.
Why it matters: More money will elevate Arkansas into the top half of the SEC in areas like assistant coaches' pay, strength and conditioning, support staff and player acquisition, Yurachek said at a news conference.
The big picture: The Razorbacks' board of trustees, university leadership, the athletic department and private donors have committed to the funding.
- "With the financial picture coming together, the next step was finding a head coach that was all in," he said.
Catch up quick: The University of Arkansas athletics department announced Silverfield's hiring Sunday, about two months after firing former head coach Sam Pittman.
- It was a rough season for the Hogs, losing 10 of 12 games and not beating a single SEC team.
State of play: Silverfield arrived from the University of Memphis this week, where he had 29 victories over his last three seasons. Yurachek said Silverfield was both the first and last coach he interviewed in the 60-day search.
- The new coach signed 17 players in the high school class of 2026, including some from Arkansas, on the first day of the early national signing period on Wednesday.
What they're saying: Silverfield outlined the cultural ethos he plans to foster in the program with an acronym spelling "earn it."
- "How do we win a national title? We have to empty the tank. We have to attack the work. We respond to everything with toughness. We will never back down. We will guard our integrity, and we will do it together," he said.
Follow the money: Yurachek declined to reveal any dollar amounts being invested in the program, citing the need to keep a competitive advantage.
- Fans will see the results of the financial commitment when Silverfield announces assistant coaches and support staff, he said.
By the numbers: Silverfield's five-year contract has him making $6.5 million in his first year with gradual increases up to $6.9 million in his fifth year for a total of $33.5 million.
- He's also eligible for several incentive payments, including $500,000 if the Razorbacks play in the NCAA College Football Playoff semi-finals, $750,000 if they make it to the championship and another $1 million if they win the championship, according to his contract.
What's next: The new head Hog will finalize staff hires in the coming days and continue roster meetings and recruiting. Silverfield promised a fast rebuild — "not a three-year turnaround" — and said the culture shift starts now.
The bottom line: Silverfield emphasized repeatedly that Arkansas has everything needed to build a championship program.
- "Give us a fighting chance, and I promise you we're going to win a lot of football games," he said.