freeze.png

A few weeks after Auburn athletics director John Cohen compared Hugh Freeze's job to an unreliable car that he wasn't sure would start, the inevitable happened -- the Tigers fired Freeze.

Ironically, Freeze's Auburn tenure actually ended as a slow-moving accident.

Punt after punt after punt defined the Tigers' 10-3 home loss to Kentucky, the first time in 28 years the Tigers allowed 10 or fewer points and lost a game. The defeat dropped Freeze to 15-19 overall on The Plains. He ended his tenure 1-11 against ranked teams despite a top-13 roster in the sport, per the 247Sports Team Talent Composite.

Unlike big-name coaches James Franklin and Brian Kelly who were fired earlier in the 2025 coaching carousel, there was no real argument to be made in favor of keeping Freeze. His reputation as an offensive wiz is in the tank; the Tigers rank No. 118 in yards per play despite a talented offensive line, elite wide receivers and a hand-picked transfer portal QB, Jackson Arnold, who had a seven-figure price tag (Freeze seemed to always pick the wrong portal QB, ignoring Cam Ward when he entered the transfer portal from Washington State). 

Auburn's coaching search promises to be a blockbuster with a heavy-handed booster class that loves to meddle. The Tigers need to nail the hire in an SEC that's getting more competitive by the week, it seems. 

As for Freeze?

The 56-year-old is a controversial college football figure whose long track record of success feels more distant with each blunder he makes (coaches across the country still cannot figure out why Freeze refused to reevaluate a collaborative play-calling approach). 

Be skeptical there's much of a market for Freeze as a head coach moving forward -- and it's also unclear if Freeze will want to coach again any time soon. 

Freeze was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and is currently undergoing treatment. Doctors caught it early and he opted against immediate surgery to have the mass removed. That's because the cancer was deemed low aggressive, per Freeze. He said back in the summer he planned to reevaluate his health in January.

There was likely going to be industry speculation this season Freeze might step down from Auburn because of his health. So, it's reasonable to think Freeze may take some time off and focus on his recovery. 

He certainly doesn't mind having the time to play golf.

As for a potential future in coaching, maybe Freeze could emerge as a candidate at a Group of Five program. He found outsized success in past stints at Arkansas State and Liberty. But checking with industry sources, it's hard to see Freeze making an immediate return as a Power Four head coach. He won't have the cachet of Franklin or a Kelly, and his baggage is immense.

If Freeze desired it, he could likely grab a play-caller job somewhere or stash himself away on a staff as an analyst.

Freeze benefits from the flexibility of an around $15 million buyout without a 'duty to mitigate' clause, which compels those like Franklin to find work right away to offset their buyout.

It seems unlikely Freeze wants to fade away forever into the background -- he only took a year-long sabbatical after his Ole Miss tenure ended in a blaze of destruction -- but his chance at reaching the peaks of his Ole Miss tenure are shot. People tend to notice when a luxury car won't start. 

The Auburn Tigers are searching for their next head football coach following the dismissal of Hugh Freeze. AuburnUndercover has the most experienced experts and insiders covering the Tigers on the ground in Auburn. Know the news before it happens with this coaching search by signing up for a VIP membership today. In addition, you'll get team news, recruiting, transfer portal scoop, analysis and more along with interacting with the most dedicated community of Auburn fans.