By Jonathan Matlock — 02 Nov 2025

HotFootballTakes: Hugh Freeze is Out—Auburn Finally Pulls the Plug

AP Photo/Butch Dil

Well… it’s done.

Less than 24 hours after Auburn scored three points at home against a broken Kentucky team, Hugh Freeze is officially out. The chants started in the student section and spread like wildfire: “Fire Hugh.” This time, Auburn listened.

Let’s be clear—this wasn’t about one game. Saturday night was just the final insult. A 10-3 loss to a team that hadn’t beaten Auburn in 15 years. At home. As a double-digit favorite. With bowl eligibility on the line. What we saw wasn’t just bad execution. It was a program with no identity, no direction, and no heartbeat.

The Final Straw? Kentucky 10, Auburn 3

Freeze called it “so dang close” in his postgame presser. That was the moment. Fans weren’t just angry—they were insulted. Because if that performance was “close,” then the standard is officially dead.

This offense was supposed to be his calling card. He was hired to bring creativity, quarterback development, and scoring. Instead, he brought chaos. Daniels? Arnold? Who’s starting? Who’s finishing? No one knew. Including Freeze. The back-and-forth carousel ended the way most confused plans do: with a pick in the end zone and the worst offensive showing of the year.

The Freeze Era, By the Numbers

Let’s talk receipts:

15-19 overall
6-16 in SEC play
0-5 vs Alabama and Georgia
0 bowl wins
1 identity crisis

He recruited well—on paper. Top-10 classes. Headlines. Hype. But the on-field results were nowhere close. The development wasn’t there. The execution wasn’t there. The scoreboard proved it every week. If you can’t turn talent into wins, what exactly are you doing?

And now, for the second time in three years, Auburn’s paying another buyout north of $15 million to make a bad coaching hire go away. That’s the price of getting it wrong.

Coaching Chaos in the SEC

Freeze is now the fourth SEC coach to get shown the door this season. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, and now Auburn—all hunting for the next big fix. The carousel is in full spin, and Auburn's right in the middle of it.

Athletic Director John Cohen has to nail this one. There’s no more margin for error. Auburn has money, tradition, and one of the most intense fanbases in the country. But we’ve been wandering in the wilderness since Gus. Cohen doesn’t get a second chance if this next hire flops.

What’s Next: Names to Watch

The interim job goes to DJ Durkin. His defense has been the only unit on the field doing its job, so he gets a chance to audition. But let’s be honest—his head coaching past complicates the long-term picture.

Here’s who’s really on the radar:

Jon Sumrall (Tulane) – Alabama native, SEC blood, proven winner. Feels like the fit pick.
James Franklin (ex-Penn State) – Big name. Big buyout. Bigger questions. But he’s done more with less.
Eli Drinkwitz (Mizzou) – Would be a wild SEC-to-SEC jump, but he’s shown he can win and build.
Rhett Lashlee (SMU) – Auburn ties. Offensive brain. But is he ready for this stage? (just signed an extension at SMU)
Alex Golesh (USF) – Fast riser. Potent offenses. Would bring energy and edge back to the Plains.

Whoever it is, they’ll inherit a fanbase out of patience and a program tired of being mid. Auburn doesn’t tolerate mediocrity. Freeze found that out the hard way.