What Recent Hiring/Firing Trend Means for Auburn's Hugh Freeze

The Auburn Tigers are heading into year three of the Hugh Freeze Era. In the first two seasons, the Tigers have had a combined record of 11-14 (6-7 in year one and 5-7 last season) with a bowl loss to the Maryland Terrapins, 31-13 in 2023. After two years of struggle, Freeze needs his third season to be the year that Auburn sees some improvement. Otherwise, he could be part of several coaching changes during or after the 2025 season. 

According to CBS, the SEC could be in for a “bloodbath” after this next season if some coaches do not deliver. Some coaches include Florida’s Billy Napier and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, both of whom survived the hot seat in 2024. While Freeze enters the 2025 season with many new players including a new offense, there is still mounting pressure. 

One absolute strength of Freeze is the ability to recruit. This past offseason, he has brought in two of the top offensive transfers in Oklahoma transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold and Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. The Tigers also acquired several players on defense highlighted by cornerback Raion Strader from Miami (OH) and safety Taye Seymore from Georgia Tech. On top of that, the Tigers re-signed defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin through the 2027 season, making him one of the highest-paid coordinators in all of college football. 

However, the recruiting buzz will be for not if they don’t start finding the win column. 

The team that has been constructed by Freeze and his coaching staff is easily the best during the Freeze Era. It should be a team that could compete this upcoming year in the SEC. However, the Tigers’ schedule isn’t exactly very friendly to them. They open the season on the road at Baylor. They also have road trips to Oklahoma and Texas A&M before hosting Georgia and Alabama later on in the season. If Freeze wants to get to seven or eight wins, the Tigers will have to make some noise away from Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

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