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Hugh Freeze Under Fire at Auburn as Second July Commitment Provides Slim Hope

External critics and boosters have ramped up scrutiny after a wave of decommitments left Auburn’s 2026 class at the bottom of the SEC.

Hugh Freeze Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Overview

  • Freeze’s Auburn record stands at 11–14 over his first two seasons, making him the first coach in 50 years to start with consecutive losing campaigns and no bowl victories.
  • Analyst Josh Pate warned that Auburn must exceed a 7.5-win projection in 2025 to keep Freeze’s job, framing the upcoming season as a make-or-break test.
  • Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin publicly mocked Freeze’s May golf post with a sarcastic “Great job Coach!! Game is on,” highlighting concerns that off-field distractions are hampering recruiting.
  • Paul Finebaum criticized Freeze and athletic director John Cohen for blaming predecessors and urged Auburn’s leadership to deliver a focused recruiting message instead of excuses.
  • Four-star linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali’s July 8 pledge—Auburn’s second in a month—lifted the 2026 class eight spots nationally but offers only a modest counter to earlier decommitments.