Hugh Freeze 'Winning' Over the Auburn Tigers

High Freeze was hardly a unanimous choice when he was hired as the head football coach of the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is winning over the Auburn Family, but in order to keep doing it, he'll need to... win. / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

When Hugh Freeze landed at Auburn, you could sense the cacophony of dissenting voices. A large swathe of the fanbase or alumni area did not want him to coach on The Plains. They cited various objections from the moral to the personal regarding his fitness to coach their beloved Auburn Tigers. 

However, the university administration chose their own path, choosing what they actually know, as opposed to what outsiders believe. Often, those two factors are mutually exclusive. Like it or not, Hugh Freeze coaches Auburn. At the same time, notice how the initial righteous indignation dissipated. 

Adult Time

People objected to Freeze's hiring because of the issues. Meaning, those particular phone calls. You can easily Google that. Yet, where did the pseudo piety wander off to when Auburn put together a better season? Granted, the previous football administration did routinely pull defeat from the jaws of victory. 

However, what issues with Freeze and the phone issue were resolved and he did apologize. Plus, few modern successful coaches live completely perfect, sterling lives. Thankfully, the athletic powers-that-be handled the situation looking at results.

Recruiting Issues

Alongside the above-mentioned issue, some became concerned with the truthfulness from Freeze and his staff about the Ole Miss infractions. Again, those whispers fell by the wayside when Freeze started to not only work on the Chatt Valley recruiting base, but attracting players from all over the South and the transfer portal concluding with a top-10 class. 

Like the voices told the Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams "If you build it, they will come." In all truthfulness, Freeze continues to build a solid foundation for the future. For example, look at his 2025 recruiting class. Additionally, Auburn looks in the running for more recruits that will suit up next fall. Building that bond with high school programs eluded the last coaching staff. Freeze built those gaps.

Winning Cures All

In all honesty, Auburn before Freeze, in that last era, did not look like Auburn. Their confidence eroded, and people did not possess that same passion for Auburn football. The call came from inside the house. Hiring Freeze rectifying a brutally terrible previous coaching choice. 

The offense and defense sat eighty-seventh and ninety-eighth in scoring offense and defense. Freeze also showed faith in Payton Thorne, even though Hoover (Ala.) standout Robby Ashford excited the fanbase with his running ability and big-play potential. In veering from convention, Freeze placed his own stamp on the team and decided to recruit what he wanted. 

Also, Freeze coaches with eyes sharply honed towards the future and never looking back. The world of college football is neither rocket science nor morality play. Within basic human decency, Hugh Freeze attempts to resurrect Auburn football.