FAYETTEVILLE — It's been over a month since the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees launched a review of the UofA's athletic department, and specifically, its football program in the wake of Arkansas' 43-10 Week 2 loss to Utah and the ensuing fallout.
UA athletic director Hunter Yurachek has been under intense scrutiny since Arkansas' Week 2 loss, especially after a report from The Athletic revealed that Arkansas has the cheapest roster in the SEC this season.
Head coach Ryan Silverfield previously said he believed he has the resources to compete this season, though he did allude to financial shortcomings on Oct. 5, saying that Arkansas "replaced 80 players.. to the best of our ability with the resources that were allotted to us."
In an interview on 103.7 The Buzz on Wednesday, Silverfield was asked by host David Bazzel about the ongoing review.
"I know the review's going quite well," Silverfield said. "[I've] had great conversations with our leadership, and I'm very, very confident that we are going to have the necessary resources to be successful in the future. In the 2027 season and beyond, we have a bright future here within our football program. The leadership has been working hard to get us where we need to be, and I have the utmost confidence that we will actually be in the right position to go have success.
"It puts a big smile on my face, because that's huge news for our fans, it's huge news for our football program. Obviously, we're excited on focusing up and doing well the rest of this season, but again, everybody keeps saying, 'Coach, you're so optimistic.' Well, there's a plan in place, and guess what? It's going to be implemented."
Even if the review wasn't going well behind the scenes, Silverfield likely wouldn't say anything different. Still, a positive review of the review from the head coach who will have to work with whatever resources he's allotted isn't nothing.
Perhaps the biggest question come the offseason will be whether or not Silverfield willl be working with a new athletic director. Yurachek has retained his post for now, though it wouldn't be shocking if he is let go in December following both Arkansas' football season and the selection of the 12 College Football Playoff teams, as Yurachek is the chair of the CFP selection committee.
Arkansas (3-4, 1-3 SEC) earned its first SEC win under Silverfield by beating Vanderbilt 31-21 on Oct. 17. The Razorbacks are off this weekend before returning to action on Oct. 31 against No. 22 Missouri at 6:45 p.m. inside Razorback Stadium.
Sign up to our free newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter) for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google