How does Hugh Freeze compare with the other head coaches in the SEC West?

How does Coach Hugh Freeze stack up in the SEC West?

Author:
Joshua Collins
Publish date:
Aug 8, 2023 4:00 PM EDT

In this story:

With the beginning of the 2023 college football season nearly upon us many teams and fan bases across the country are taking stock of their programs performance during the spring and fall camps while also evaluating the new recruits on their rosters. Actively weighing out their opportunities and making lofty predictions about their teams’ chances along the way.

With a mostly brand-new coaching staff on the plains since the hiring of Coach Hugh Freeze in November of last year, many are asking how Coach Hugh Freeze compares to the other head coaches within the SEC. With this two-part article series, we will weigh Coach Freeze’s career winning ratio and the culture he brings with him to the Auburn family against that of the other head coaches in both the SEC West and the SEC East.

We will begin this series with the SEC West, taking a brief look at the cadre of head coaches who lead arguably the best teams in college football today, providing some of the stiffest coaching competition for Coach Hugh Freeze to stack up with.

Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze:

Jul 18, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze speaks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Hyatt. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports — Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

As a faithful and diehard Auburn fan, I will lead off with Coach Hugh Freeze and what he brings to the table as the 31^st head coach of the Auburn Tigers football program. Coach Freeze comes to plains from Liberty University after a very impressive and successful 4 years as the head of their football program, where he led the Flames to four bowl game appearances and produced a 34-15 record at the helm. Coach Freeze brings with him 12-years' worth of collegiate head coaching experience with an overall career win-loss record of 103-47 making for a 68-percent win ratio.

More importantly Coach Freeze brings with him a culture of hope, tenacity, and hard work to make the changes so desperately needed within the Auburn football program to turn the page to a brighter and more successful future for not only the athletes and the student body but also the loyal Auburn fanbase.

In quoting Coach Freeze in a recent Auburn media release, his message to the players on the team highlights so much about his character as a head coach and a mentor to these young men asking of his players “Will there be a fire burning inside you that’s hotter than any furnace that is put before you.” This sentiment speaks to the value Coach Freeze places on putting all your soul into this game we all know and love. This is the culture he brings to the plains, and I am excited to see it grow across the roster and across the fan base as his career begins on the plains.

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban:

Oct 15, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports — Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being the head coach of one of the biggest rivals to the Auburn Tigers, respect should always be shown when speaking of the sheer coaching prowess that Coach Nick Saban possesses. Boasting a 189-27 record as head coach of the Crimson Tide alone, Nick Saban stands as one of the giants of the college football world. His overall career record as a head coach on the field is a staggering 280-69 win-loss record making for an 80-percent win ratio.

Coach Saban values hard work and perseverance to better yourself as a player always, no matter how well you already play, and in turn bettering your team. Known as one of greatest coaches to ever grace Bryant-Denny stadium, Nick Saban is a difficult act to follow.

LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly:

NCAA Football- LSU at Auburn 2022_10-1-2022_10207 — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Having just completed his inaugural season as head coach of the LSU Tigers, Coach Bryan Kelly has shown he has the capability to coach at the highest level in the SEC, taking the LSU Tigers to a 10-4 season in 2022. Arguably the most successful hire in LSU history Coach Kelly came to Baton Rouge after coaching 12 seasons with the Fighting Irish as Notre Dame’s head coach.

Coach Kelly holds a career win-loss record of 294-101 making for a 74-percent win ratio. He has brought some excitement back to Baton Rouge and will make for some stiff competition in the SEC West as his roughly 32-year coaching career continues.

Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher:

Oct 22, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports — Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

One of the more polarizing coaches in the SEC, Coach Jimbo Fisher is also no stranger to the stiff competition that makes up the SEC West. Having a career record with the Aggies of 39-21, Coach Fisher has played some of the toughest teams in the country. Coach Fisher holds an overall career coaching win-loss record of 122-44 making for a 73-percent win ratio.

Despite having a few tough years with the Aggies at College Station Coach Fisher is a solid play caller, recruiter, and player developer. Known for a slightly brash nature in his coaching style, he does field quality teams typically end-over-end despite not all the pieces fitting together some seasons.

Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin:

Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin is shown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) — AP Photo/John Bazemore

Coach Lane Kiffin the man holding the reins of Ole Miss Rebels has been referred to as the “Transfer Portal King” in recent years, known for reeling in some high-quality talent to Oxford, Mississippi. Coach Kiffin is a young and super high-energy head coach who in his tenure thus far with Ole Miss has produced a 23-13 win-loss record. Overall, throughout his head coaching career he has commanded his teams to total win-loss record 84-46 making for a 64-percent win ratio.

Coach Kiffin is considered as a player’s coach and he values his relationships that he is able to establish with not only his active rosters, but also incoming recruits from the JUCO and high school ranks alike.

Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman:

Coach Sam Pittman took the helm of the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2020 and has led a somewhat remarkable rebuild of their football program. Known as one of the preeminent recruiters in the NCAA, he is known widely as a player’s coach. Having led the Razorbacks over the past 3-seasons to a 19-17 record, Coach Pittman is looking to push to better his program every year. Despite holding an overall career coaching win-loss record 30-26 making for a 53-percent win ratio, Coach Pittman has consistently fielded tough teams.

The Razorbacks have often stifled the hopes of multiple SEC teams with some shocking underdog wins, Coach Pittman is always a coach a to properly prepare for and not take lightly.

Mississippi State Head Coach Zach Arnett:

Zach Aren't — Austin Perryman, Mississippi State Athletics

Coach Zach Arnett comes into his first full year as a head coach for the Bulldogs after the untimely and heart breaking passing of former head coach “The Pirate” Coach Mike Leach. Looking to continue the Air Raid legacy that Coach Leach was known for, Coach Arnett has some significant shoes to fill this upcoming season.

Despite not knowing much about the culture or coaching prowess he brings to Mississippi State, I am excited to see how well Coach Arnett Performs during his inaugural full season behind the helm.

In closing, it’s important to remember that although stat lines and win-loss ratios may pop out on paper, the most important qualities of these coaches are the values of hard work and perseverance each of these leaders of men work hard to instill in each of the young men that grace their locker rooms. Although each fan will argue that their head coach is the best fit for the job, it’s the players opinions of their leaders that really matters.

In Memory of Coach Michael Charles Leach “The Pirate” 1961-2022