Blog Article
The $87 Million Question: Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s Football Gamble
Auburn University finds itself at a crossroads in the gladiatorial college football arena, where millionaire coaches pace sidelines and billion-dollar TV deals fuel an insatiable machine. The whispers have already started. The faithful readers of CoachesHotSeat.com, those amateur Nostradamuses of the gridiron, are asking the question that sends shivers down the spine of every Auburn fan: Could Hugh Freeze be fired this year?
It’s a question that isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about cold, hard cash—$87 million of it, to be exact.
That’s the jaw-dropping sum Auburn has either already spent or might have to spend on coaching changes. $67 million shelled out since 2000 to make coaches go away, and potentially another $20 million waiting in the wings for Freeze. It’s a number that would make Wall Street blush and leave most university presidents reaching for the antacid. And now, less than two years into his tenure, Hugh Freeze might be the next name on that expensive list.
Let’s examine the situation at Auburn and see if Freeze will pack his bags before the leaves change color next fall.
The Freeze Gambit
679 days ago, Auburn rolled the dice on Hugh Freeze.
Picture this: A coach with a checkered past but an undeniable offensive mind parachuting into a program desperate to wash away the stench of the Bryan Harsin era. Freeze arrived talking a “big game”. He’d develop quarterbacks. He’d close the talent gap. He’d turn things around “fairly fast.”
Fast forward to today, and Auburn fans wonder if they’ve been sold a bill of goods.
The 2024 season has been a tire fire of epic proportions. Three home losses, including a humiliating defeat to Cal, have left the Tigers staring down the barrel of their fourth straight losing season. Bowl eligibility? That’s a pipe dream at this point.
But here’s the kicker: If Auburn wants to pull the plug on the Freeze experiment on December 1, 2024, it’ll cost them a cool $20,312,500. That’s not a typo. That’s the price of failure in the SEC.
The Quarterback Whisperer Who Lost His Voice
Freeze built his reputation on offensive fireworks and quarterback development. At Arkansas State, Ole Miss, and Liberty, his offenses lit up scoreboards like pinball machines. But at Auburn? The offense has all the potency of a wet firecracker.
Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne was supposed to be the answer. Instead, he’s become the poster child for Freeze’s struggles. Interceptions have become his love language, and Freeze’s public criticism of his signal-caller has raised eyebrows across the college football landscape.
Bo Wallace, who played under Freeze at Ole Miss, didn’t mince words: “We’re approaching the point that he’s thrown so many quarterbacks under the bus that maybe no one wants to play for him?? Don’t be a coward and blame it on kids.”
Ouch.
The $87 Million Elephant in the Room
Now, let’s talk about that $87 million. Since 2000, Auburn has burned through coaches like a teenager with their first credit card. Tommy Tuberville, Gene Chizik, Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin – each departure came with a price tag that would make most Fortune 500 companies blush. And if Freeze joins this not-so-illustrious club, the total bill will hit a staggering $87 million.
It’s a number that begs the question: What could Auburn have done with that money instead? How many academic scholarships could it have funded? How many state-of-the-art facilities could it have built? Hell, how many Cam Newtons could it have bought? (That’s a joke, NCAA. Please don’t investigate.)
But here’s the rub: In the arms race that is college football, Auburn isn’t alone. Texas A&M, another SEC school with more money than sense, has reportedly spent nearly $95 million on coaching buyouts in the same timeframe.
It’s madness. But it’s the madness that defines modern college football.
The Recruiting Paradox
Here’s where things get weird. Freeze and his staff are crushing it on the recruiting trail despite the on-field dumpster fire. Auburn’s 2025 class is ranked 3rd nationally. The 2026 class? It’s sitting pretty at 2nd.
It’s like watching a magician pull rabbits out of a hat while the theater burns down around him. Impressive? Sure. But also a little beside the point.
The $20 Million Question
So here we are. Auburn is staring down the barrel of another lost season. They’ve got a coach who can’t seem to develop quarterbacks or win games but can convince 17-year-olds that Auburn is the place to be. They’re facing a potential $20 million buyout for a coach less than two years into his tenure.
What’s a tiger to do?
The coming weeks will be crucial. Games against Oklahoma, Missouri, and the Death Star, which is Alabama, loom large. If Freeze can engineer a miracle turnaround, he might buy himself more time. If not? Well, Auburn might find itself reaching for the checkbook once again.
Whatever happens, one thing is clear: The situation at Auburn is a perfect microcosm of the beautiful, maddening, financially irresponsible world of college football. It’s a world where the pressure to win trumps all, fiscal responsibility is an afterthought, and the next big payday is always just one coaching change away.
As for Hugh Freeze and Auburn? They’re just along for the ride, hoping they can get off before the bill comes due.
