University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Norvell Announces Staff Promotions
Jan 05, 2019 | Football
Tokarz named assistant coach while Silverfield earns Deputy Head Coach title.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis head football coach Mike Norvell announced a pair of staff promotions, Saturday. Tony Tokarz, who has spent the past two seasons on staff as a graduate assistant with the offense has been named an assistant coach and will oversee the tight ends, while Ryan Silverfield has been elevated to Deputy Head Coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator. Silverfield will also continue to lead the Tigers' offensive line.
TOKARZ ELEVATION
Tony Tokarz has spent two stints on the Memphis staff, first coming to Memphis in 2014 and serving as a defensive staff assistant with the secondary. That Tiger team claimed their first American Athletic Conference championship en route a 10-3 record and a Miami Beach Bowl victory. The 2014 Tiger defense ranked 11thnationally in scoring defense, giving up 19.5 ppg and ranking 27thin total defense (349.5 ypg).
The past two years, Tokarz has served as a graduate assistant on the offensive side of the ball.
In 2017, Memphis set school records with 6,917 total yards of offense, 592 points scored and 79 total touchdowns. Memphis tied the school mark for rushing touchdowns (33) and set a new mark for passing touchdowns (39) in 2017. In 2018, Memphis broke the total yards (7324), points scored (601), total touchdowns (80) and rushing touchdowns (48) records.
"I believe Tony is one of the nation's rising stars in the coaching profession," Norvell said. "It has been a joy to watch his development and see the growth and the impact he has made within our offense during his time with the program. He has tremendous experience in developing players and will continue to allow us to keep the tight end position as an integral part of our offense."
A 2012 graduate of Worcester State University, Tokarz was a three-year starting quarterback for the Lancers' football team. He was named a Stephen "Merc" Morris first-team All-Worcester selection and a first-team All-New England Football Conference pick as a senior.
After graduation, Tokarz began his coaching career at Anna Maria College, where he coached wide receivers and assisted the team with its strength and conditioning program, also serving as the program's film coordinator.
The following year, Tokarz moved to Stonehill College (NCAA Division II). The Skyhawks went 8-3 and advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference championship game while Tokarz served as the team's wide receivers' coach. He helped guide Nate Robitaille to All-Northeast-10 first-team honors while the Stonehill receiving corps accounted for 191 passes for 2,571 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Tokarz then came to the Mid-South to join the Tigers' staff in 2014.
Ryan Silverfield Elevated to Deputy HC
Preparing for his fourth season at Memphis, Ryan Silverfield has been elevated to Deputy Head Coach and co-offensive coordinator heading into the 2019 season. Silverfield served as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator in 2018, overseeing the team's most consistent unit, with all five starters playing in every game. One year after blocking for an offense that featured All-American wide receiver Anthony Miller and setting a school record for passing touchdowns, the offensive line spent the 2018 season in the trenches blocking for another NCAA Consensus All-American, leading the way for All-American running back Darrell Henderson. In three seasons, Memphis set and broke the school record for total yards and points scored and set new marks for passing touchdowns (39, 2017) and rushing touchdowns (48, 2018).
"Ryan Silverfield's leadership has been instrumental in the success we've had as a program not only with our o-line, but also with assistance of implementing our values throughout our team," Norvell said. "Coach Silverfield has done a great job developing one of the nation's best offensive lines and we are excited about him continuing to set a high standard within our offensive attack."
Memphis' candidate for the 2018 Frank Broyles Award, Silverfield first came to Memphis in 2016 with over 18 years of coaching experience at the high school, college and NFL levels. He remains the only coach to have worked with an NCAA single-season rushing leader and an NFL single-season rushing leader. At UCF, Silverfield helped tutor Kevin Smith when the junior back led college football with 2,567 yards in 2007. Five seasons later in 2012, Silverfield was at Minnesota, where the Vikings' offensive line paved the way for Adrian Peterson's 2,097-yard season.
In three seasons at Memphis, Silverfield has guided a trio of Tigers' offensive linemen to all-conference honors. Gabe Kuhn (guard) and Trevon Tate (tackle) were first team honorees in 2017 and Dustin Woodard was a first team honoree at guard in 2018. Collectively, the unit was one of ten semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in college football, in 2018. For his role leading the o-line, Silverfield was named one of six finalists for the offensive line coach of the year award sponsored by FootballScoop earlier this season.
Silverfield was also recognized as one of the top recruiters in his time at Memphis. In 2017, he was ranked the fourth-best recruiter in The American by 247sports.com.
TOKARZ ELEVATION
Tony Tokarz has spent two stints on the Memphis staff, first coming to Memphis in 2014 and serving as a defensive staff assistant with the secondary. That Tiger team claimed their first American Athletic Conference championship en route a 10-3 record and a Miami Beach Bowl victory. The 2014 Tiger defense ranked 11thnationally in scoring defense, giving up 19.5 ppg and ranking 27thin total defense (349.5 ypg).
The past two years, Tokarz has served as a graduate assistant on the offensive side of the ball.
In 2017, Memphis set school records with 6,917 total yards of offense, 592 points scored and 79 total touchdowns. Memphis tied the school mark for rushing touchdowns (33) and set a new mark for passing touchdowns (39) in 2017. In 2018, Memphis broke the total yards (7324), points scored (601), total touchdowns (80) and rushing touchdowns (48) records.
"I believe Tony is one of the nation's rising stars in the coaching profession," Norvell said. "It has been a joy to watch his development and see the growth and the impact he has made within our offense during his time with the program. He has tremendous experience in developing players and will continue to allow us to keep the tight end position as an integral part of our offense."
A 2012 graduate of Worcester State University, Tokarz was a three-year starting quarterback for the Lancers' football team. He was named a Stephen "Merc" Morris first-team All-Worcester selection and a first-team All-New England Football Conference pick as a senior.
After graduation, Tokarz began his coaching career at Anna Maria College, where he coached wide receivers and assisted the team with its strength and conditioning program, also serving as the program's film coordinator.
The following year, Tokarz moved to Stonehill College (NCAA Division II). The Skyhawks went 8-3 and advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference championship game while Tokarz served as the team's wide receivers' coach. He helped guide Nate Robitaille to All-Northeast-10 first-team honors while the Stonehill receiving corps accounted for 191 passes for 2,571 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Tokarz then came to the Mid-South to join the Tigers' staff in 2014.
Ryan Silverfield Elevated to Deputy HC
Preparing for his fourth season at Memphis, Ryan Silverfield has been elevated to Deputy Head Coach and co-offensive coordinator heading into the 2019 season. Silverfield served as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator in 2018, overseeing the team's most consistent unit, with all five starters playing in every game. One year after blocking for an offense that featured All-American wide receiver Anthony Miller and setting a school record for passing touchdowns, the offensive line spent the 2018 season in the trenches blocking for another NCAA Consensus All-American, leading the way for All-American running back Darrell Henderson. In three seasons, Memphis set and broke the school record for total yards and points scored and set new marks for passing touchdowns (39, 2017) and rushing touchdowns (48, 2018).
"Ryan Silverfield's leadership has been instrumental in the success we've had as a program not only with our o-line, but also with assistance of implementing our values throughout our team," Norvell said. "Coach Silverfield has done a great job developing one of the nation's best offensive lines and we are excited about him continuing to set a high standard within our offensive attack."
Memphis' candidate for the 2018 Frank Broyles Award, Silverfield first came to Memphis in 2016 with over 18 years of coaching experience at the high school, college and NFL levels. He remains the only coach to have worked with an NCAA single-season rushing leader and an NFL single-season rushing leader. At UCF, Silverfield helped tutor Kevin Smith when the junior back led college football with 2,567 yards in 2007. Five seasons later in 2012, Silverfield was at Minnesota, where the Vikings' offensive line paved the way for Adrian Peterson's 2,097-yard season.
In three seasons at Memphis, Silverfield has guided a trio of Tigers' offensive linemen to all-conference honors. Gabe Kuhn (guard) and Trevon Tate (tackle) were first team honorees in 2017 and Dustin Woodard was a first team honoree at guard in 2018. Collectively, the unit was one of ten semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in college football, in 2018. For his role leading the o-line, Silverfield was named one of six finalists for the offensive line coach of the year award sponsored by FootballScoop earlier this season.
Silverfield was also recognized as one of the top recruiters in his time at Memphis. In 2017, he was ranked the fourth-best recruiter in The American by 247sports.com.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballFootball: Ryan Silverfield Press Conference-September 20, 2025
Saturday, September 20
Football: Kamari Wilson Press Conference-September 20, 2025
Saturday, September 20
Football: Chris Bracy Press Conference-September 20, 2025
Saturday, September 20
Football: Sutton Smith Press Conference-September 20, 2025
Saturday, September 20