FAYETTEVILLE -- New Arkansas Coach Ryan Silverfield continues to add coaches to his staff.
The NCAA now allows coaches to hire more assistants though only 10 can be designated to recruit off campus. The latest hire is Cincinnati's Eddie Hicks. Hicks joined Cincinnati's coaching staff in January 2025 as its cornerbacks coach. Hicks spent the previous two seasons as the lead defensive analyst for LSU.
Hicks is the fourth coach hired by Silverfield to coach the secondary. He also has Deron Wilson returning to Arkansas from Florida to work with cornerbacks. Silverfield also has hired CJ Wilford from Georgia Southern and TJ Rushing, who won a Super Bowl championship in the NFL, comes over from Auburn where he coached safeties in 2025.
Silverfield's defensive coordinator will be Ron Roberts who was at Florida the past two seasons. Roberts also coaches linebackers. Silverfield has targeted Tennessee's Marion Hobby for the defensive line.
Former Razorback and Memphis Tiger Simeon Blair will be a quality control assistant for the defense. Chad Lunsford comes from Auburn to be the special team's coordinator.
Silverfield has made some outstanding hires, but maybe the best is Arizona's Gaizka Crowley as General Manager. That hire drew praise from national reporters everywhere as well as a reporter who has covered Arizona for eight years.
Tim Cramsey will serve as offensive coordinator and bring Larry Smith (wide receivers) and Jeff Myers (offensive line) with him from Memphis. David Johnson, who coached running backs and served as recruiting coordinator at Florida State, is in charge of the running backs.
Clint Trickett was hired over the weekend to coach the quarterbacks. Trickett was the offensive coordinator and coached quarterbacks at Jacksonville State last season helping them to an 8-5 mark losing in their conference championship game.
Silverfield also hired one of his former pupils in the NFL bringing Marcus Johnson from Ohio State to coach the offensive line with Myers.
None of the hires have been announced officially.