The Hugh Freeze era at Auburn is over.
Auburn fired Freeze on Sunday, one day after a 10-3 home loss to Kentucky dropped the Tigers to 1-5 in SEC play. While Auburn lost four of those games by one score, Freeze’s offense scored just six touchdowns in those five losses. Freeze helped build one of the better defenses in the SEC, but it was the offense he has a heavy hand in that was bad for his entire tenure and downright dreadful by the end.
Freeze went 15-19 in three seasons, with a 6-15 record in the SEC.
So how good is the Auburn job? What names could get in the mix? Based on conversations with industry sources, here is a report card for the job and the potential candidates to watch.
Recent history/Tradition: B+
It’s a credit to Auburn’s fans that they’ve continued to pack Jordan-Hare Stadium despite so much mediocre play. This was also the case the last time the head coach was fired, when everyone rallied around interim Cadillac Williams. Auburn fans show up.
But Auburn also hasn’t won more than six games since 2019 and hasn’t won 10 games since 2017. The SEC got tougher when Texas and Oklahoma came into the league. The Tigers have popped for some big seasons, winning the national title following the 2010 season and reaching the title game in 2013, but they’ve only won 10 games or more three times since 2007. High-level consistency is hard to come by.
On-field outlook: B+
There is talent here, which is what made this year’s team so frustrating. Big-ticket receivers Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton will still have eligibility remaining. So will leading rusher Jeremiah Cobb. The defense is really talented. Quarterback Jackson Arnold also has eligibility, if anyone still thinks he can be the guy. The Tigers sit No. 13 nationally in 247Sports’ Team Talent Composite rankings.
Of course, whether the next coach can keep any of those players on the roster is a big question. The transfer portal doesn’t open until Jan. 2, or five days after Auburn hires a head coach. The new rules may give new coaches a chance to keep their players and won’t immediately open the portal for them. The Tigers’ 2026 recruiting class currently ranks 32nd nationally, but that’ll likely change with a new coach.
Auburn has Alabama and Georgia on the schedule as annual opponents through 2029. In a league where the ceiling is so high, what are fair expectations here? Bowl games every year should be an obvious floor, and periodic SEC championship contention runs should be expected, too, but the path isn’t getting easier.
Auburn has historically been a tough place to learn on the job: The last time it hired a first-time head coach was Doug Barfield in 1976, and he was promoted from offensive coordinator. The last assistant coach hired to the job from outside the program was Ralph Jordan in 1951. His name is now on the stadium.
Money matters: A-
At a time when the money available to spend on a roster is as important as anything, Auburn has improved its investment. It helped the Tigers land Arnold and Singleton in the transfer portal, part of last offseason’s eighth-ranked portal class. The school also opened a $92 million football building in 2022.
But Freeze’s $6.75 million salary was just 36th nationally, according to USA Today, which ranked 14th in the 16-team SEC. How much will Auburn need to pay for a new head coach? Freeze’s buyout is around $15.7 million, paid out in monthly installments into 2029, unless the sides agree to something different. That’s very manageable.
University stability: B+
It’s a rare thing to say about Auburn, but stability has reigned in recent years. Athletic director John Cohen received a two-year extension last year to run through 2029. The school hired Georgia Southern athletic director Jared Benko as a deputy AD. President Christopher Roberts took over his role in 2022 and can be seen around athletics events. Especially considering the other open jobs in the SEC, the alignment on The Plains is in decent shape.
Coach pool: A-
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall: He’s a Huntsville, Ala., native and has won a whole lot of games, with a 38-11 record including two Sun Belt championships at Troy and an appearance in last year’s American Championship Game. Sumrall pulled himself out of the North Carolina search last year and will get a lot of interest in this cycle.
Former Penn State head coach James Franklin: He reached the CFP semifinal last year and went 104-45 with the Nittany Lions, after taking Vanderbilt to consecutive nine-win seasons. Franklin couldn’t win the big one at Penn State, but he could still win a lot of games, and Auburn could use that baseline. Franklin has made clear he wants to keep coaching, and he could fit at a few different places.
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key: He has brought consistent success to the Yellow Jackets, who started 8-0, and his teams have played Georgia close multiple times as a big underdog. Key is 26-17 in four seasons, and his teams play with toughness. But what if Georgia Tech makes the CFP? Pulling Key away from his alma mater, especially in that scenario, could be difficult. It’s worth noting the athletic director who hired Key is no longer there, and Georgia Tech’s finances are limited.
South Florida head coach Alex Golesh: The Bulls have turned the corner in Golesh’s third season, now 6-2 on the year with a prior appearance in the top 20 thanks in large part to a win at Florida. Golesh inherited a 1-11 program and will go to his third bowl game in three years in Tampa. He was previously the offensive coordinator at Tennessee, giving him SEC experience.
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann: The 35-year-old has been Kirby Smart’s right-hand man for well over a decade, including spending 2008-15 at Alabama. He’s been a part of multiple national championships and would bring a winning pedigree and longtime SEC experience.
Jacksonville State head coach Charles Kelly: He’s an Auburn grad who served as the Tigers’ co-defensive coordinator last year. The 58-year-old is also 5-3 overall in his first year at Jacksonville State, including 4-0 in Conference USA. He has won national championships at Florida State and Alabama and has been considered one of the top recruiters in the country. He wouldn’t be a first choice but could be an option to consider if others don’t pan out.
Overall grade: B+
The relatively recent history says you can win big at Auburn. But consistent high-level success has been hard to come by, and the Tigers have been stuck in mud for more than half a decade now. There is good talent here, if the next coach can keep it, and the fan support is very strong. There are things to like. But in a very deep and difficult SEC, surrounded by big spenders, it will always be a bit of an uphill battle.