FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas football is in a spot where even the wild ideas start to sound a little more interesting than the present.
That’s what makes Florida State firing Mike Norvell on Sunday such a strange but intriguing development for the Razorbacks. On the surface, the move had nothing to do with Arkansas. But once Norvell was out at FSU, the conversation naturally drifted to whether Ryan Silverfield could try to bring him to Fayetteville as offensive coordinator.
It’s not a normal thought, but this is not a normal moment either.
Silverfield and Norvell already have a shared history. Silverfield took over a Memphis program that Norvell had helped turn into a consistent American Conference contender in 2020. Before that, Silverfield spent 2016-19 as an assistant under Norvell with the Tigers.
Arkansas could certainly use help on offense. The Razorbacks were sluggish again Saturday against Missouri, and while the unit showed some life against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, Tim Cramsey’s group has mostly been a problem this season.
Cramsey came with Silverfield from Memphis, where he served as offensive coordinator from 2022-25, and that made sense at the time. QB AJ Hill, WR Jamari Hawkins and RB Sutton Smith also followed.
But the results have not been there. The offense looked decent against Vanderbilt, then fell flat again against Missouri, which has been a familiar pattern for most of the year.
Norvell’s background makes him an obvious name to toss into the mix. He has worked as an offensive assistant at Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State before becoming head coach at Memphis and then Florida State. And with FSU owing him $50.3 million, money may not be the obstacle it would be for most coaches.
There’s also the Arkansas angle. Norvell played wide receiver at Central Arkansas in Conway from 2001-05 and worked there as a graduate assistant in 2006. That connection alone makes the fit at least plausible, even if the timing feels unusual.
It would still be a long shot. After how things ended at Florida State, it’s hard to picture a Power Four school with a head coaching opening making a major run at him. But if Silverfield decides to make a change at offensive coordinator after one season, he’d be the one holding the cards.
And if Arkansas wants to give fans something more substantial to believe in heading into Year 2, a big-name coordinator hire would help. Norvell would check that box in a hurry. He brings recognition, a track record, and a previous connection to Silverfield - the kind of combination that would make him the definition of a splash hire.
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