CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello and Matt Zenitz report that Hugh Freeze has been fired by Auburn. This comes just one day following the Tigers’ disappointing loss at home to Kentucky. It was the Tigers’ fifth defeat in six SEC games this year. “I informed Coach Freeze about my decision to change leadership at the Auburn Football Auburn athletic director John Cohen made the statement in a school-released press release. Coach Freeze is an honest man, and we’re grateful for his commitment to Auburn and the work he has done over the last few years to bolster our roster. Auburn’s expectations Football Auburn will compete annually for championships, and search for its next leader. Football The game begins immediately.The Tigers fell to 1-5 in Conference play midway through Freeze’s 3rd season, with bowl hopes hanging on a thin thread of 4-5 with games remaining against Vanderbilt Mercer Alabama. Marcello reports that Auburn won 19 out of 20 previous matchups against Kentucky, dating back to 1967. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is the interim coach for the team.
This will be the third time since 2020 that the Tigers will be searching for a new coach, which means Auburn will be footing the bill for another sizable buyout as well.Freeze’s buyout at Auburn is $15.4 million, almost identical to the total the Tigers paid out to Bryan Harsin eight games into his second season in 2022 amid inner program failures and on-field struggles. Freeze also signed a $39 million six-year contract that year. The student section erupted in chants of anger during Auburn’s defeat to Kentucky. They continued even after the game ended. Wildcats racked up seven sacks on a struggling offense, led by Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels. This was Daniels’ first start at Auburn after a season of issues with Jackson Arnold.
Freeze’s new-look offensive infused portal talent never got started in 2025. Auburn’s efforts to recruit in 2026 were poor after a strong effort in recent years. On Sunday, a 14-man recruiting class was tipped to be Auburn’s worst since the 247Sports period (2010-). “I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not really something people want to give in this day and time, but I understand that,” Freeze said after the game in his plea to fans. “I know we’re close. If we had some things go our way in the beginning of the year, it would have been a different story. It didn’t happen, but that’s the way life is. The game of football teaches us many great and difficult things. We will get up and get ready for the second one.I’d like to have their patience. You may not be getting much patience from your players, but I can understand why. They want to see an improved product on the field. “I understand that.”
Freeze lost four or more games in SEC play each year, which was a record low for the program. Freeze leaves Auburn after a 15-19 record overall, which includes a 6-16 performance in conference play. This is the worst start to a three-year coaching career for an Auburn coach in 51-53 when Ralph Jordan was 14-16-1. Jordan, A College Football Hall of Famer showed improvement in his third season with a record of 7-3-1, but he led the Tigers from that point until 1975, when he retired. Freeze was also the first Auburn Coach since 1950 to go at least three years without winning a league matchup.
Freeze’s tenure as Auburn coach 20236-73-5Music City Bowl (13-31 vs. Maryland)20245-72-6No bowl20254-51-5–Auburn entered the 2025 season with lofty expectations thanks to Freeze’s recruiting efforts and what appeared to be — on paper, at least — an improved offense. Cam Coleman was a star on the Tigers’ wide receivers, and Eric Singleton was a transfer from another school. Jackson Arnold, a former five-star Oklahoma starter and former five star prospect, was also a major coup for the Tigers. Auburn even reached No. The Tigers climbed to No. 22 on the AP Top 25 after a 3-0 nonconference start, highlighted by a road win over Baylor that saw them score 38 points. They hit a brick wall. In their first four SEC matches, they failed to score more than 20 points. Arnold went three straight games, from Auburn’s Sept. 27 loss to Texas A&M to its loss against Missouri, without a single passing touchdown. Arnold was benched again against Arkansas as the Tigers switched to Ashton Daniels, a former Stanford transfer. This happened late in the first-half. Auburn is the third SEC school to make a midseason coaching change in 2025, following in the footsteps of the Razorbacks, which moved on from Sam Pittman on Sept. 28, and Florida, which fired Billy Napier two weeks ago. Sumrall is one of the fastest-rising coaches in college football after sensational coaching jobs at Troy and Tulane. Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports says that he is a top candidate for the team’s initial hot board. Huntsville, Alabama native, Huntsville took over a Troy team that had lost three consecutive seasons. He quickly turned them around, posting a record of 23-4 with two Sun Belt championships in just two seasons. He then went to Tulane, where he led them to the American championship game, with an 8-5 record and 7-1 American play. The former Kentucky linebacker has deep experience in the SEC, working as defensive coordinator under Mark Stoops and linebackers coach at Ole Miss. He has built physical defensive teams that control games but has consistently found great offensive coordinators and players as a head coach, including quarterback Darian Mensah, running back Makhi Hughes and running back Kimani Vidal. — Shehan JeyarajahThe 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). Freeze may not have much of a future as a head football coach. He is also unsure if he wants to coach again anytime soon. Freeze was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and is currently undergoing treatment. He was diagnosed early, and doctors did not immediately remove the mass. According to Freeze, the cancer was considered low-aggressive. He had said in the summer that he intended to evaluate his health again in January. In his previous stints as a coach at Arkansas State, and Liberty, Freeze had a lot of success. Industry sources say it is difficult to imagine Freeze returning as a Power Four Head Coach in the near future. He will not have the cachet or reputation of Franklin or Kelly. His baggage is also enormous. Chris Hummer
2025-11-02 19:38:43
