Hugh Freeze isn’t holding back. A month after Auburn cut ties with him midseason, the former Tigers head coach is making it clear-he’s not done coaching, and he’s not done proving people wrong.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his dismissal, Freeze joined the See Ball Get Ball podcast with David Pollack and didn’t mince words about how he’s feeling.
“I’m kind of pissed off,” Freeze said. “I have a little something to prove. So if somebody’s looking for that, I think my resume speaks for itself.”
That fire? It’s coming from a season-and a stint-that didn’t go the way anyone hoped.
Freeze was let go on November 2, the day after Auburn dropped a 10-3 heartbreaker at home to Kentucky. That loss dropped the Tigers to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in SEC play, and it was the final straw in a tenure that ended with a 15-19 record over three seasons, including just six wins in 22 conference games.
Freeze didn’t shy away from the numbers. He owned them.
“I’ve won everywhere I’ve been except for Auburn,” he said. “You’ve got to deal with that. It’s a dose of humility.”
And that humility is paired with gratitude. Despite the rocky ride, Freeze made sure to thank Auburn leadership-President Chris Roberts and athletic director John Cohen-for the opportunity. But there’s no hiding the sting of falling short.
“I hate like heck that we didn’t get it across the finish line,” he said.
That finish line remains elusive at Auburn, which wrapped up the season 5-7 under interim coach DJ Durkin. Durkin will stay on as defensive coordinator under new head coach Alex Golesh, who was officially hired Sunday after a strong run at South Florida.
As for Freeze, his coaching resume still carries weight-91 wins across 15 seasons, not counting the 27 vacated during his Ole Miss tenure due to NCAA violations. That history, for better or worse, is part of the package. But so is a proven ability to win, and Freeze is betting that someone out there is willing to give him another shot.
He’s not just looking for redemption-he’s ready to earn it.