Arkansas is one of the many SEC programs with a new head coach this season. They opted to hire former Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield, and unfortunately for him he has some history with Kirby Smart and Georgia.
Last year when he was still the head coach at Memphis he made public comments slamming Georgia for their history of player arrests. He discussed how he was using Georgia as an example for how he doesn't want to run his program, and it was clear that he was taking a shot at UGA and Smart.
Fast forward to SEC Media Days and Silverfield was asked about these comments he made, and he unsurprisingly walked them back as fast as he could.
“When it happened, listen, I’ve got the deep, most respect for Kirby Smart and the Georgia athletic department and everything that he’s about,” Silverfield said via onlineathens.com. “Obviously, he’s done it at a high level so certainly a lot of respect for him. When it occurred, I reached out to him. He’s always been great to me. Even at my time at Memphis. He allowed us to come be a part of the camps. I think he knew that it was no ill will. Listen, I’ve got a lot or respect for him and what they’re doing.”
Ryan Silverfield will regret making an enemy out of Kirby Smart
Making an enemy out of the best coach in all of college football seems like a bad choice. Sure he didn't know that he would be joining the SEC at the time, but those comments were ridiculous even before he was hired by Arkansas.
Of course he is walking back those comments now that he is Smart's peer, but would he have done that if he wasn't joining the SEC? Sure he is claiming that he apologized before he took the opening at Arkansas, but who knows how true that is.
Silverfield already has to deal with the disadvantage of coaching for one of the worst programs in the SEC. Arkansas already doesn't stand much of a chance at ever beating Georgia, but these comments made by him will give Smart and UGA even more motivation to beat them when they meet during week three of the upcoming season.
Arkansas's fear of Georgia has reached an all time high
Arkansas is very scared to play Georgia this season. They won't ever come out and actually admit that, but actions speak louder than words.
Earlier this offseason the kickoff time for Georgia's week three matchup at Arkansas was scheduled for 11:00 am CST. This infuriated Arkansas because they feel it gives them a significant disadvantage in this game.
Week two Arkansas travels to Utah for a night game. They are now complaining that it isn't fair to have a night game across the country one week before having to play at 11:00 am the next week against a team as good as Georgia nonetheless.
No one at Georgia will be complaining about that, and that is especially the case after what Silverfield said about them last year. So while Arkansas is complaining and worrying about playing Georgia, the Bulldogs will be preparing even harder to not just beat Arkansas but to dominate them in embarrassing fashion.
Add us as a preferred source on Google