Hugh Freeze Should Not be Absolved from Criticism Despite Auburn's Win

Who starts against Kentucky? Arnold or Daniels?

While Freeze is non-committal, going with the hot hand in Daniels could lead to a spark. Daniels doesn't need to win games alone; he just needs to get the ball out of his hands and throw the ball on time. However, a deeper issue resides later. Auburn has four games left.

If Freeze wants to redshirt Daniels, he can only play three more games. With a game against FCS Mercer, is that the game that Arnold plays if he's not the starter? What does the demotion do to a player who came to the Plains with the intention of playing for multiple seasons?

Premature Celebration

Granted, Auburn's defense stepped up against a potent offense to just 38 second-half yards and three points. This win does not absolve Freeze from scrutiny, as the Arkansas defense, entering the game as one of the worst in the SEC, continued that trend.

Freeze's offense banked on five second-half field goals and a pick-six by Rayshawn Pleasant for their points. Repeated trips to the red zone work against a porous defense, but teams with stout defenses and explosive offenses like Alabama and Vanderbilt will not make the same mistakes. Auburn cashed in on interceptions that many quarterbacks would not throw.

In concert with those facts, will the fan base truly be happy with a split of the last four games and a 6-6 record, with all the money spent to acquire elite talent? Furthermore, for those who wanted Freeze's firing, what happens if the team finishes with three wins in the last four? It could partially validate Freeze's desire to have more time to unfurl his plan.

Bottom Line

Auburn won on the strength of its defense and Jeremiah Cobb's 153 yards rushing. Outside of a couple of highlight catches, the passing offense fell flat once again, regardless of who took snaps from the shotgun formation. Snapping a month-long losing streak is a start, but it should. .500 be the benchmark of success

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