Auburn appeared on its way to hiring Hugh Freeze but reportedly got cold feet. Now their Plan B is back on the table with Freeze taking over the Tigers.
If nothing else, the Auburn Tigers know how to make a coaching search dramatic — even when it’s not all that necessary. But now, they’ve finally landed on their guy in Liberty head coach and former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze.
Initially on Monday morning, there were reports that some within the Auburn program had gotten cold feet about Freeze, who was the Plan B after they failed to lure Lane Kiffin away from the ‘Sip. The plan was then stated that the Tigers administration would look for Plan C.
But apparently that was either a smoke-screen or a realization that no one qualifying as a Plan C could offer the resumé (on the football field) that Freeze can. So as Ross Dellenger of SI first reported, Freeze is the guy that will replace Bryan Harsin at Auburn.
Auburn is finalizing a deal to hire Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, sources tell @SINow.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 28, 2022
Freeze would return to the SEC, where in 2017 Ole Miss fired him amid NCAA and personal scandal. In 12 years as a college head coach, he’s had one losing season.
Auburn hiring Hugh Freeze after momentary cold feet: Best memes and tweets
With such a polarizing figure and the circus of the coaching search combined, Twitter was in peak form with reactions to the Freeze hiring.
— Tommy Goodwin (@tommygoodwin) November 28, 2022
Hugh Freeze saying bye to Liberty pic.twitter.com/vf0XETPc1c
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 28, 2022
.@DanWetzel weighing in on the new Auburn head coach:
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) November 28, 2022
"People have said a lot of things about Hugh Freeze over the years...no one ever said he can't coach football."
How long before Hugh Freeze gets his first Au-Burner Cell Phones?
— KMoore 993 (@kevmoe993) November 28, 2022
The range of personality among SEC West coaches...
— Stefan Krajisnik (@skrajisnik3) November 28, 2022
Nick Saban
Mike Leach
Lane Kiffin
Hugh Freeze
Brian Kelly
Jimbo Fisher
Sam Pittman
Hugh Freeze is the American dream.
— Andrew Doughty (@DoughtyBetMGM) November 28, 2022
Commit egregious NCAA violations, hire hookers, and habitually lie.
Let the dust settle for a couple years.
Win games elsewhere.
Land a better, more lucrative job than you had before.
Hugh Freeze right now… pic.twitter.com/d9DFDU65Pt
— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) November 28, 2022
Knowing that Auburn is gonna be good at football again in a year or two but Hugh freeze is the HC pic.twitter.com/OXsGDLOrcr
— Josh (@JWill_205) November 28, 2022
Hugh Freeze AND Bruce Pearl?
— Todd Brommelkamp (@ToddBrommelkamp) November 28, 2022
At the same school? https://t.co/yKKlapDTL4 pic.twitter.com/Fmlbmvzq5Q
Hugh Freeze is back in the SEC.
— Chris Renne (@ChrisRenneCFB) November 28, 2022
Auburn and Hugh Freeze are probably a perfect fit everything considered.
Hugh Freeze driving up to @AuburnFootball facilities this week pic.twitter.com/PR42H1Ez1c
— Tyler St. Clair (@tk_stclair) November 28, 2022
Freeze ended up at Liberty as the start of a redemption arc after he was fired by Ole Miss for numerous NCAA rules violations relating to both recruiting and academics and for using his work cellphone issued by the university to hire an escort service. He last coached the Rebels in 2016 before being hired by Liberty in 2019, where he went 34-15 over three seasons with the Flames.
The only trepidation with Freeze is the off-field baggage he brings. When it comes to purely his coaching acumen, he’s won everywhere he’s been, including at Ole Miss with less resources than will be at his disposal with Auburn.
Assuming he can keep his nose clean, this could be a home-run hire for the Tigers. That, however, is a big assumption given Freeze’s history.
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