They may not even realize it, but Dan Mullen and Ryan Silverfield shared a connection long before their names were linked to the Arkansas football job this year.
The two coaches have never worked in the same league, let alone on the same staff. In fact, the closest their careers ever came to intersecting was in 2005. That year, Mullen followed Urban Meyer to Gainesville, helping lay the foundation for a run that would ultimately produce two national championships for the Gators. Meanwhile, Silverfield landed his first Division I coaching job, placing him under a mentor who would have a similarly profound influence on his career and help guide him through its ups and downs.