Auburn fires Coach Hugh Freeze

Media Reports

AUBURN, Ala. — The SEC coaching carousel is spinning fast — and Auburn is the latest to climb aboard.

Hugh Freeze became the fourth SEC head coach to be fired in recent weeks, joining Sam Pittman at Arkansas, Billy Napier at Florida, and Brian Kelly at LSU on the growing list of departures. Auburn officials dismissed Freeze on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the Tigers’ latest offensive disaster — a 10–3 home loss to Kentucky that dropped them to 4–6.

Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Freeze leaves Auburn with a 15–19 overall record and a 6–16 mark in SEC play. His buyout is expected to be about $15.8 million, the result of a six-year contract he signed when taking the job in late 2022.

What was billed as a turnaround season under Freeze instead collapsed into more frustration. The Tigers have lost 14 of their last 18 games against Power Four opponents, and their offense — once Auburn’s pride — ranks among the worst in the conference. Auburn managed just 177 yards in a 16–10 loss at Texas A&M, 40 yards in the second half of a 20–10 loss to Georgia, and only three points in Saturday’s defeat to Kentucky.

“I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not something people want to give in this day and time — and I understand that,” Freeze said after the Kentucky loss, as fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium chanted “Fire Hugh.” “I just know we’re so dang close, and if we had a few things go our way earlier in the year, I think we’re looking at a whole different deal.”

Once one of the SEC’s most intimidating environments, Jordan-Hare Stadium has lost its edge. Auburn went 7–11 at home under Freeze against FBS opponents, with losses to New Mexico State, Cal, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.