When Memphis football coach Ryan Silverfield met on the field with counterpart Brian Newberry before last year's game against Navy, a referee approached them with a unique story. He was the referee for one of their games previously.

Not a Memphis vs. Navy game from years past, when Newberry was defensive coordinator before he was promoted to head coach before the 2023 season. This game happened more than two decades earlier on Oct. 19, 2002.

It pitted Washington and Lee University against Hampden-Sydney College, and it wasn't competitive — the Tigers (of Hampden-Sydney), won 44-13. More specifically for the purposes of the American Athletic Conference in 2024, it pitted Newberry (Washington & Lee's defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach) against Silverfield (Hampden-Sydney's defensive line coach).

"We had a good laugh about it," Newberry told The Commercial Appeal on Wednesday. "That's the coaching world for you."

Silverfield, who often says he'll go back and watch any film available of opponents, considered going back to that game at his Monday press conference.

“I haven’t gone back that far, but don’t put it past me," Silverfield said. "Now you’ve got me thinking.”

It's highly unlikely there will be anything for either of those coaches to take from that game as they head into this week's matchup. No. 23 Memphis (3-0) will head to Annapolis to face Navy (2-0, 1-0 AAC) on Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network).

Newberry and Silverfield have never coached together, but they've developed mutual respect through the years.

"Similar paths in a lot of regards. We both kind of came up the hard way in coaching, so to speak," Newberry said. "Two guys that have bounced around, worked hard where we've been and gotten promoted along the way."

Added Silverfield: “People always say, ‘Who are some of your friends in this profession?’ Brian’s one of those guys that we’ve got mutual admiration.”

That journey included two games against each other at Division III, more than 20 years ago. The Generals won in 2001, but Hampden-Sydney — Silverfield's alma mater, where he started his coaching career as a student — won each of the next three years. Newberry left for Lehigh in 2003, while Silverfield left for Memorial Day High School in 2004.

Silverfield had the edge over Newberry back then, but it's the more recent history that he and Newberry are more concerned about this week. Memphis has won five straight over the Midshipmen.

"I'll use anything I can as motivation," Newberry said. "Since he's been there, and I've been here, they've gotten the best of us."

Silverfield has no doubt spent plenty of hours this week watching film of Navy's new-look offense and the 38 points it put up against Temple. The Midshipmen are also coming off an open week and have had extra time to prepare for the Tigers who won at Florida State.

But will Silverfield find those old VHS tapes to remember what Newberry was doing as DC in the early 2000s? Newberry had a quick answer.

"No," he said. "He ain't watching that film."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan."

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis vs. Navy: Inside Brian Newberry, Ryan Silverfield's relationship