Hugh Freeze Reflects on Relationship with Drinkwitz, Missouri's Success

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is up against an old friend who has been building up a successful program at Missouri

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is matched up with a familiar face currently coaching Missouri. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

After dropping their third game in a row, the Auburn Tigers had a timely bye week. Now they turn their attention to the No. 19 Missouri Tigers.

Missouri is 5-1 (1-1 SEC) on the season and is coming into this game after blowing out UMass on the road.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze will be coaching against someone he knows well in Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz. Freeze considers the Missouri head coach a close friend in his circle of SEC coaches.

“We talked twice this week already. You know I’ve got to cut him off, but he got some of my other friends there too that have coached with me, but the great thing is it’s a genuine, real friendship, not just a professional (one), something very similar to Gus (Malzhan) and I.”

Freeze respects Drinkwitz for the type of ship he runs, and the on-field product speaks for it.

Missouri was one of the SEC’s best teams last season. They finished top 10 in the AP and Coaches Polls capping off the season by beating Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl Classic. It took a few seasons to get going, finishing with no more than six wins in his first three seasons, but Drinkwitz has brought Mizzou back to relevancy.

Freeze thinks this recent success is sustainable too.

“I know what I see on film, and I know the consistency that they’ve been about almost every single game for the last 15 or so games. Facing Ohio State in a bowl game and having many of those kids back. This is a top-20 team for sure if not higher. Hadn’t lost at home in a long time. They are a real quality football team.”

Drinkwitz has his connections to Auburn. He was the quality control coach on the staff from 2010 to 2011. Auburn won the BCS National Champion in Drinkwitz's first year.

The pair of Tigers will kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday. The television broadcast can be found on ESPN.