Report reveals expected Arkansas coordinator, position coach hires for Ryan Silverfield's coaching staff

Ryan Silverfield has been on the job for just a few days in Fayetteville. His staff is now already coming together based on the latest regarding his debut coaching staff at Arkansas.

Per Matt Zenitz at CBS Sports, the Razorbacks are nearing hires at three spots on the staff under Silverfield. They included OC Tim Cramsey and wide receivers coach Larry Smith, who’d be coming with him from his staff at Memphis, as well as a target as their defensive coordinator, being Ron Roberts.

Cramsey and Smith had each spent a handful of seasons now under Silverfield with the Tigers. After several offensive roles the past two decades, including the 13 years prior as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at six other programs, Cramsey took that same role at Memphis in 2022. Since then, the Tigers have posted a Top 25 scoring offense in all four of his years there, with those units averaging 36.3 points and 436.3 total yards per game.

Roberts has the most experience in power football, having spent the past six years as a defensive coordinator, co-defensive coordinator, or a linebackers coach at Florida, Auburn, and Baylor, with those teams allowing 24 points and 368.8 yards per game. He has also made mid-major stops at Delta State, Southeastern Louisiana, and Louisiana.

These three would arrive as part of the first staff for Silverfield at Arkansas. The Razorbacks hired him on Sunday, with him on a five-year, $33.5 million contract to be the next head coach of the ‘Hogs. He now comes in to try to bring the same success he had at Memphis, with Silverfield bringing with him a 50-24 (.676) record from his six seasons with the Tigers.

Silverfield has more work to do to finalize his first staff with the Razorbacks. These three are reportedly among the early hires, or the early names to watch, who could soon become official hires, as new staff members under him at Arkansas.