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.