Coaches

Ryan Silverfield returns for his 6th season with the Vikings in 2013 and will assist with the offensive line for the 3rd season as the unit continues to grow into one of the NFL’s top units.

The 2012 Vikings followed the path paved by the powerful group up front to a record-breaking performance that set the tempo for a 10-6 team and Wild Card playoff berth. The Vikings offensive line featured only 2 starters returning in the same positions from 2011- C John Sullivan and RT Phil Loadholt- but came together quickly with new starters RG Brandon Fusco (2nd year) and LT Matt Kalil (rookie) and LG Charlie Johnson, who transitioned from LT to LG. The front made its mark on the NFL and team record book as Adrian Peterson ran for 2,097 yards, the 2nd-best performance in NFL history, including 10 games with 100+ yards, 2 games of 200+ and averaged 6.0 yards per carry to rank among the all-time NFL leaders.

As a team, the Vikings matched the club record with 2,634 yards rushing, averaging 164.6 yards per game. While fielding a run-first attack, the Vikings offense saw 2nd-year QB Christian Ponder continue to develop, throwing 18 TDs against 12 INTs, post an 81.2 passer rating, 62.1 completion mark and was sacked only 32 times after being sacked 30 times in 11 games in 2011. The Vikings offensive line in 2012 featured Sullivan earning All-Pro honors on the PFW/PFWA 1st Team and Kalil garnering All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly and earning a Pro Bowl berth.

In 2011, Silverfield moved over to the offensive side of the ball with the Vikings coaching staff to assist Jeff Davidson with the offensive line after starting his NFL career on defense.  He assisted the offensive line in helping the Vikings offense rush for 2,318 yards over the course of the season, ranking 4th in the NFL. The offensive line also helped WR Percy Harvin set the Vikings all-time record for rushing yards in a season with 345 and career rushing yards with 587. The line was hampered by injuries throughout the season with only OTs Loadholt and Johnson starting all 16 games up front.

Silverfield spent his first season with the Vikings focused on offensive quality control before assisting the defensive line in 2009 and 2010. During his 2 seasons with the Vikings defensive front the unit ranked in the NFL’s top 10 both seasons and landed 2 players- DE Jared Allen and DT Kevin Williams on the Pro Bowl squad. The 2009 Vikings defensive unit led the NFL with 48.0 sacks.

Prior to joining the Vikings, Silverfield spent 2 seasons at the University of Central Florida where he worked under former Vikings defensive coordinator George O’Leary. In Silverfield’s 2nd season at UCF in 2007, the Knights closed the regular season with a 7-game winning streak en route to winning the Conference USA crown, the 1st conference championship in school history.

In 2005, Silverfield served as the quarterbacks coach at Jacksonville University. Before working on the JU Dolphins staff and at the age of 23, he was the head coach at Memorial Day H.S. in Savannah, GA. That opportunity followed 4 seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, where he began as an offensive assistant in 2000. At the age of 20, he became the DL coach, making him one of the younger position coaches in all of college football. He held that position for 2 seasons before moving to TEs and H-backs in 2003, a season in which the Tigers went 9-1 and had the #1-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging over 47.0 points per game.

Silverfield’s coaching career began as an assistant at The Bolles School in Jacksonville in 1999. During his playing days, Silverfield helped Bolles win 2 state championships and earn the title of the #1-ranked high school team in the country by USA Today. As a senior, Silverfield was a 1st-Team All-First Coast selection after leading his team to the Florida Class 3A state title.

Silverfield graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hampden-Sydney.