Latest news with #Freeze

Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Hugh Freeze expects Auburn to ‘get over edge' against UGA, Alabama
If Hugh Freeze is reading his reshaped roster correctly, his third season at Auburn will become the Year of the Tigers. Freeze said Tuesday at SEC Media Days that the reshaped roster and experience on his side -- not to mention playing rivals Alabama and Georgia at home -- is enough to turn the tables in Auburn's favor in games like those against the behemoths of the Southeastern Conference. Alabama was two scores better than the Tigers in 2024 (28-14) in the annual Iron Bowl, while Georgia beat the Tigers by 18. Why does Freeze think this year will be different? "Number one, playing at Jordan-Hare is a definite advantage in those games for sure," Freeze said. "And our roster is one that can compete with those teams. We've been in the games even the first two years, but we haven't found a way to win. "And that's one of the secrets, I think, to our success this year is having guys that we think we've brought in that have the combination of all of it, not just skill set, but this guy's a winner and has been proven to win and now will help us get over the edge in all these close games like those two will be." One of the guys Freeze views as a difference-maker is Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. He's in line to be the QB1 for Auburn in the opener against Baylor and should be fully up to speed by the time the Tigers face his old team on Sept. 20. Arnold was not viewed as the top prize in the transfer portal by every team and won few over with statistics. But Freeze said circumstances painted that picture, and it wasn't reality. He was sacked more times than any quarterback in this SEC and sixth-most across all of college football last season. "I loved Jackson out of high school. I think everybody did. He was a Gatorade Player of the Year, top quarterback in the country coming out. Boy, he fit everything that I believe in doing offensively, (offensive coordinator Derrick) Nix does too. We've been together a long time, and he just fits that," Freeze said. "So I knew how I felt about him then, but of course you're doing this speed dating here and things weren't great statistically or whatever performance-wise. Then you have to do a deep dive into why was that, and can I get past whatever that was. When you evaluate it, you said it, he had several different play callers, injured offensive line and receivers, and yet when you pull all of his throws, I still saw that there it is, that's what I saw. There it is again. He still has that about him." Freeze lauded the toughness Arnold brings at the position. He said the Tigers are offering him a needed restart to prove who he is as a player. Arnold, also at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, said he has no ill will toward the Sooners for their decision to move in another direction. He was replaced as OU starter after only four games last season. He wound up back in the starting lineup by the end of the season and beat then-No. 7 Alabama. That win opened Freeze's eyes because of Arnold's guts and big plays with his legs. One of his next big chances to open some other people's eyes will be his SEC debut with Auburn -- in Norman. "Things happen. Things happen for a reason," Arnold said. "Sometimes things work out the way it's supposed to be. You know, we're on God's timing, you know, not our timing. And, for me, I felt the best decision for me was to move on and move on somewhere else to get a fresh start, like you said, and go out and do what I know I can do with this Auburn squad this year." --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved


USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze finally stops excuses but is he ready for expectations?
Hugh Freeze has proven himself a virtuoso in the excuse-making arts, but he shelved those abilities at SEC media days and welcomed expectations for Auburn. What Hugh Freeze didn't say became more notable than what he said. The Auburn coach didn't call for patience. He didn't become defensive when asked about the amount of golf he played this offseason. He didn't blame his predecessor for Auburn's 2024 record. Freeze has proven himself a virtuoso in the excuse-making arts throughout his career, but he shelved those abilities Tuesday during his turn in the spotlight at SEC media days. Good. There's no stomach for a coach's excuses in Year 3, anyway. Auburn fans are starved for success after four consecutive losing seasons. So, Freeze might as well vow to deliver results, because that's the only path forward for an embattled coach whose buyout is cheaper than most in the SEC. 'I love this team,' Freeze said from the stage in Atlanta. Earlier this offseason, Freeze said on a Birmingham-based podcast that he's 'no fool' and he knows Auburn must make a bowl game. Excuse me? That comment made Freeze sound like a fool. A third-year coach with an 11-14 record at Auburn, with losses to New Mexico State, California and Vanderbilt, can't think of the Gasparilla Bowl as a safe space. Freeze changed his tune at SEC media days. He talked as if the College Football Playoff is within reach. 'I truly believe that, in the playoff run, we're going to be in this discussion,' Freeze said. 'That is what Auburn should be, in those talks, year in, year out.' For the past several years, there's been more talk of hot seats at Auburn than the playoff, for which the Tigers never have qualified. Auburn's best postseason triumph since the playoff's inception came at the Music City Bowl during the Guz Malzahn era. Auburn cast itself into a pit by making one of the worst college football hires of the 21st century by anointing Bryan Harsin to replace Malzahn. Harsin, an interloper from Boise State, strutted in with a tough-guy attitude. He quickly lost portions of the locker room, and he failed to recruit the type of athletes he'd need to thrive in the SEC. He proved a massive bust. I can say that. Freeze shouldn't, because, no matter how poorly Harsin fared at Auburn, a third-year coach can't cast his program's shortcomings onto his predecessor's shoulders. Not in the SEC, and certainly not in this era when fixes are found in the transfer portal and improvement is possible in leaps, not baby steps, early in a coach's tenure. Auburn showed little improvement throughout Freeze's first two seasons. Auburn's 22 turnovers and an inability to finish games strongly contributed to the Tigers finishing 5-7 last year, when 8-4 was possible. Freeze's recruiting haul buoyed some belief in a brighter future, no matter the on-field results, until recruiting stalled this offseason. Auburn's 2026 class ranks last in the SEC. Freeze offered a feeble explanation earlier this month when asked about the recruiting ranking. Enough already. Athletic director John Cohen promised a big August for recruiting. We'll see. Regardless, recruiting can't be the only thing propping up a third-year coach at a program that last tasted more than six victories in a time before any of us had ever heard the word 'coronavirus.' Instituting a turnaround will require more fortitude and fewer flubs in close-game situations, but Freeze also improved the puzzle pieces. Auburn's bundle of key transfer acquisitions included wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech) and offensive tackles Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech) and Mason Murphy (Southern California). Freeze described this team's potential as 'limitless.' 'We absolutely want the expectations,' Freeze said, 'and this team deserves them.' Looking at Auburn's schedule, I can talk myself into the Tigers achieving a much better record. So much hinges, though, on quarterback improvement. Auburn transitioned to Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit who didn't live up to the billing with the Sooners. Oklahoma's shoddy pass protection and numerous wide receiver injuries didn't help Arnold's cause. From Freeze's vantage point, Arnold fits 'everything that I believe in doing offensively.' Here again, I say, we'll see. 'I've seen (Arnold's) swagger and confidence come back pretty quickly,' Freeze said. That attitude must spread throughout the roster – and to the head coach. At least the excuses and downplaying of expectations dried up Tuesday. Neither will serve Freeze well at this juncture. Only wins can save him. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.


Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hugh Freeze, QB Jackson Arnold are confident Auburn can be a winner in 2025
ATLANTA (AP) — Hugh Freeze is in unfamiliar territory as he heads into year three as Auburn's coach. The former Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Liberty coach only had one losing season in his decade as a Division I head coach, but his first two seasons at Auburn have yielded meager results at 6-7 and 5-7. Last fall marked the first football season without a head coaching change in the SEC since 2018, but Freeze certainly enters 2025 on the hot seat. 'I'm glad I'm at a place that has those expectations,' Freeze said Tuesday at SEC media days. 'I think when you've done this awhile, you really don't give into a lot of the pressure stuff.' Everything starts at quarterback with the highest profile of Auburn's 19 incoming transfers. Freeze signed former Oklahoma starter Jackson Arnold, hoping he can finally provide stability. Starting quarterback Payton Thorne and his backup Hank Brown both struggled last season particularly with ball security, as the Tigers threw 13 interceptions as a team and finished 119th nationally in turnover margin. Arnold himself struggled through a difficult season with the Sooners, losing his starting job for two games and playing the final five games of the regular season with an interim offensive coordinator. But between Freeze's quarterback-friendly system and a year of SEC experience now under his belt, there is optimism about the fresh start being mutually beneficial. 'Coach Freeze isn't scared to push the ball down the field, which I absolutely love,' Arnold said. 'I thought with my experience running the RPO game, I think it meshed well with what Coach Freeze wants to do with his offense.' He will have two of Auburn's top three receivers from last year in terms of both yards and touchdowns back with Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons, along with incoming transfer Eric Singleton Jr. from Georgia Tech. That combined with a returning nucleus on the offensive line led by center Connor Lew has Freeze expecting a sizable jump offensively. 'This is my favorite offensive line when I look at it on paper,' Freeze said. 'We'd better be able to run the football and protect the quarterback, because I think we're pretty talented up there.' Heading into 2025 Freeze is not only 11-14 overall, but 5-11 in SEC play, 2-6 in one-possession games and perhaps most damaging in the eyes of fans and administrators, 0-4 against rivals Alabama and Georgia. 'Our roster is one that can compete with those teams,' Freeze said, directly addressing the rivalry shortcomings. 'We've been in the games the first two years, but we haven't found a way to win.' Auburn will get both games at home, with Georgia playing at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 11 and Alabama coming in for the regular-season finale Nov. 29. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and


Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Hugh Freeze, QB Jackson Arnold are confident Auburn can be a winner in 2025
Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Hugh Freeze is in unfamiliar territory as he heads into year three as Auburn's coach. The former Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Liberty coach only had one losing season in his decade as a Division I head coach, but his first two seasons at Auburn have yielded meager results at 6-7 and 5-7. Last fall marked the first football season without a head coaching change in the SEC since 2018, but Freeze certainly enters 2025 on the hot seat. "I'm glad I'm at a place that has those expectations,' Freeze said Tuesday at SEC media days. 'I think when you've done this awhile, you really don't give into a lot of the pressure stuff.' Everything starts at quarterback with the highest profile of Auburn's 19 incoming transfers. Freeze signed former Oklahoma starter Jackson Arnold, hoping he can finally provide stability. Starting quarterback Payton Thorne and his backup Hank Brown both struggled last season particularly with ball security, as the Tigers threw 13 interceptions as a team and finished 119th nationally in turnover margin. Arnold himself struggled through a difficult season with the Sooners, losing his starting job for two games and playing the final five games of the regular season with an interim offensive coordinator. But between Freeze's quarterback-friendly system and a year of SEC experience now under his belt, there is optimism about the fresh start being mutually beneficial. 'Coach Freeze isn't scared to push the ball down the field, which I absolutely love,' Arnold said. 'I thought with my experience running the RPO game, I think it meshed well with what Coach Freeze wants to do with his offense.' He will have two of Auburn's top three receivers from last year in terms of both yards and touchdowns back with Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons, along with incoming transfer Eric Singleton Jr. from Georgia Tech. That combined with a returning nucleus on the offensive line led by center Connor Lew has Freeze expecting a sizable jump offensively. 'This is my favorite offensive line when I look at it on paper,' Freeze said. 'We'd better be able to run the football and protect the quarterback, because I think we're pretty talented up there.' Heading into 2025 Freeze is not only 11-14 overall, but 5-11 in SEC play, 2-6 in one-possession games and perhaps most damaging in the eyes of fans and administrators, 0-4 against rivals Alabama and Georgia. 'Our roster is one that can compete with those teams,' Freeze said, directly addressing the rivalry shortcomings. 'We've been in the games the first two years, but we haven't found a way to win.' Auburn will get both games at home, with Georgia playing at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 11 and Alabama coming in for the regular-season finale Nov. 29. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and recommended Item 1 of 3


USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk at SEC football media days: 'Coach (Freeze) deserves this job.'
The Auburn EDGE rusher says that the team needs to show positive results on the field this season. Tuesday is Auburn's day at SEC football media days in Atlanta, where the likes of EDGE rusher Keldric Faulk, quarterback Jackson Arnold, and center Connor Lew will join head coach Hugh Freeze in fielding questions from the media ahead of the 2025 football season. As expected, Freeze's job security is one of the many topics that the quartet has been asked about, with Faulk taking the first one. Before Freeze took the main stage at SEC Media Days, Faulk was asked about the hot seat rumors surrounding Freeze, and if it has an effect on him and the rest of the Tigers' roster. 'I do take that personally," Faulk said via Nathan King of Auburn Undercover. "Coach (Freeze) deserves this job. So now it's up to us to go out there and execute.' Faulk, Lew, and a majority of Auburn's projected starters were a part of Freeze's early signing classes and have made quick impacts on the field. However, Auburn has yet to produce a winning record in two years under Freeze, losing seven games each season. However, things could change this season. Not only is Auburn poised to have a quality passing game, but the Tigers' defense could also take a giant step forward. "We should, at the end of the year, be the best defense in the country," Faulk said. Faulk, Lew, Arnold, and Freeze will continue to field questions throughout the day at SEC football media days. Check back throughout the day for the latest coverage from Auburn's time in Atlanta. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__