Memphis Tigers Head Coach Ryan Silverfield boasts a coaching background shaped by diverse experiences.
Recently, Silverfield shared insights with football analyst Adam Breneman about cultivating a lasting winning culture and reflecting on the unexpected challenges of leading a program. He also spoke about how a current Big Ten coach helped give him some pointers.
How Ryan Silverfield’s Coaching Roots and Big Ten Connection Shaped His Success at Memphis
Memphis Tigers coach Ryan Silverfieldd’s journey has been defined by his commitment to learning and growth. From the start of his coaching career, Silverfield developed a habit of filling notebooks with strategies, observations, and ideas. He believed this practice would prepare him for a future head coaching role.
“I knew I was gonna be a head coach someday. From the age of 18, when I started coaching, I just, I constantly just filled up notebooks, he explained.
“‘What are some program things that are really, really good?’ And there’s also things that you’re not always gonna agree with.”
Football coaches spend years grinding for a shot at the big job.
100s of hours of film. Low-paying GA gigs. Moving across the country chasing opportunities.@RSilverfield broke down how he prepared to become a head coach ⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/OIgIQZImMN
— Adam Breneman (@AdamBreneman81) March 9, 2025
Even after taking over as Memphis’ head coach, Silverfield remained focused on improving himself and his team. Seeking fresh ideas, he contacted Oregon head coach Dan Lanning—a former Georgia coach with Big Ten ties—to visit Oregon’s football program and observe its operations.
“Now that I’ve been the head coach for a while, how do I continue to get better? How do I improve myself?” Silverfield asked. “I called up Dan Lanning, I said, ‘Hey, listen, you know, Oregon, you guys got all the features, all the things. Yeah, I’m gonna fly out there.’ He’s like, ‘Please, come sit in on every meeting,'” he continued.
Silverfield took extensive notes during his visit to Eugene, Ore., but the experience became a two-way exchange of ideas.
“At the end, he said, ‘Okay, Ryan, what are some things that I can improve upon?’ And then I asked back…’This is something I’m gonna implement back in our program.’ You gotta constantly learn…and make yourself better.”
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Silverfield’s Memphis career began in 2016 as an offensive line coach under Mike Norvell. He later became run game coordinator and assistant head coach before being named interim head coach in 2019. After Norvell’s departure to Florida State, Silverfield earned the permanent head coaching position.
Since becoming head coach in 2020, Silverfield has led Memphis to a 42-20 record. Under his leadership, Memphis has also achieved back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in program history and secured four bowl titles in his first four seasons — the most in school history.
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