Is Hugh Freeze the best recruiting head coach Auburn has ever had?

Is Hugh Freeze already the best recruiter the Tigers have had?

Jeremy Robuck | Jan 8, 2024

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Auburn Tigers

Auburn football fans have been through a lot the past few years, but things have turned dramatically in the right direction. The Tigers are currently sitting in seventh position for the 2024 recruiting cycle with room to possibly finish 3rd. Hugh Freeze is known for his recruiting as well as offensive coaching, but is he already the best recruiting head coach Auburn has ever had? There are a few contenders.

Tommy Tuberville assembled several great recruiting classes in the early 2000’s. However, he did not consistently recruit in the top ten. Coach Tuberville was known to lack effort in this department toward the end compared to others, so we’ll exclude him from this conversation.

Coach Gus Malzahn put effort into recruiting. He may not have been exceptional at talent evaluation or development, and many of his top prospects did not pan out. However, Coach Malzahn had Auburn in or near the back of the top ten most years, and he deserves credit for that. Coach Pat Dye recruited Bo Jackson, but I would argue this conversation comes down to Gene Chizik and Hugh Freeze. Coach Chizik led Auburn from 2009-2012 and had recruiting classes ranked 6th, 5th, and 11th. He also deserves credit for recruiting Cameron Newton from Junior college.

For Coach Freeze, it is still early. He has now been at Auburn for a year. He completed a miracle salvaging of Auburn’s 2023 class in his staff’s first two weeks. He also overhauled an extremely depleted offensive line in the transfer portal. The last staff left him deep in a hole in terms of high school relationships with feelings hurt and bridges burned everywhere. He finished 7th. If Ryan Williams commits to the Tigers making their class 3rd this is admittedly a completely different discussion.

High school recruiting relationships are established early with many visiting schools and committing before their senior year. This means that the 2025 class will be even more telling about Hugh Freeze and his abilities.

Ultimately, Coach Gene Chizik seemed to lose the team and all discipline following the national championship win. He does deserve consideration and clearly did a great job in the recruiting department. Coach Chizik did however inherit a better roster and situation. I would also argue that it was primarily his staff that led the way. With the current staff, it is Hugh. Coach Freeze eats, sleeps, and breaths recruiting. He talks to recruits during practice. He calls recruits early. He plays video games with recruits late. There is a term foundational to the recruiting world, and that is the word closer. Building a relationship is great, but can you walk in the living room and seal the deal? Can you get the commitment? Can you survive late night bag drops and get the signature? Most staff’s have one or two closers that come in to at key moments to get that coveted “I’m committed” line. Auburn has one in its current head coach.

College football is arguably mostly about recruiting. Coach Hugh Freeze has more to his story and time will tell. Who is Auburn’s greatest recruiting head coach ever? You decide.