Auburn's Hugh Freeze Finds Defense of Golf Game from Unlikely Source

Freeze found himself being defended by the unlikely source of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

"Being outside - given the stress on our football coaches, I think it's the healthy thing our coaches can do," Sankey told The Opening Kickoff Podcast. "Some of our coaches fish. Some of them will go coach their kids' youth teams, or travel around to watch a son or daughter play. I think every piece of that is about balance of life, and that makes you better at coaching. Not -- it doesn't diminish your coaching ability."

For his part, Freeze denies that the outside noise had had much of an effect on him. Of course, he makes the healthy choice of staying away from social media. He was asked at SEC Media Days last week if he was tired of having to defend his time on the golf course.

“I really haven't had to defend it. I just -- you know, it's something I enjoy doing, but I assure you it does not take away from my time working to take Auburn back to the top of the college football world,” Freeze said last week. 

In truth, nobody is denying that everyone should be allowed to decompress a little, and given his recent health scare, it's entirely understandable that Freeze has reconstructed his work/life balance.

At the end of the day, there’s only one thing that is going to stop the Hugh Freeze criticism, and that’s winning football games. Freeze is embracing the high expectations associated with his team in 2025.

“We’re embracing the highest of expectations,” Freeze said last week. “It’s time for us to start climbing that mountain and winning some of those (close) games. There’s no reason with the chemistry among our staff, the additions we’ve added to the roster, the two top 10 recruiting classes… there’s zero reason our team, lord willing, we stay healthy, we’re expected to compete in every single football game.”

Win 10 games, and recruiting will follow, and no one will care how much time Freeze is on the links.