Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been fired following a rough start to his third season on the Plains, capped by a loss to Kentucky on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn athletic director John Cohen released the following statement:
"I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn football program. Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn Football are to annually compete for championships, and the search for the next leader of Auburn football begins immediately."
Following the news, the athletic department announced that defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will serve as interim head coach and lead the Tigers in their final three games, including a home Iron Bowl at the end of the season.
The Hugh Freeze era was marked by excitement but also disappointment. Freeze signed two top-10 recruiting classes in his first two full years on the Plains. He brought in five-star players such as defensive end Keldric Faulk, wide receiver Cam Coleman and, most recently, quarterback Deuce Knight, sparking anticipation for the upcoming seasons under his leadership.
The era was also marked by more disappointment than fulfillment, as Freeze finished his tenure on the Plains with a 15-19 record. He lost 10 of 16 conference games and failed to beat either rival, Alabama or Georgia. Freeze’s only win over a ranked opponent in his two-and-a-half seasons came against Texas A&M in four overtimes during the 2024 season.
The Tigers have not won a bowl game since the 2018 Music City Bowl and have not had a winning season since going 6-5 in the 2020 shortened season under Bryan Harsin. Auburn and its football program are in an unprecedented spot for such a historic program and need someone who can turn it around and move things back in the right direction.
The question of who will replace Freeze as the Tigers’ next head football coach now falls to the Auburn athletic department. Whoever becomes the next man up will need to have the ability to turn the program’s momentum around and bring back winning ways to the historic university.
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Reid is a sophomore majoring in accounting. He joined the Plainsman in the fall of 2024.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @ReidFarris2
