It’s no secret that Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze’s seat is red hot after starting conference play 0-4 for the third straight season.
On Monday, respective athletic directors from Florida State and Wisconsin, amid their struggles this season, released “support statements” regarding their head coaches. Of course, this comes a day after Florida head coach Billy Napier was relieved of his duties as the Gators’ head man, and just weeks after multiple other Power Four head coaches were shown the door.
Freeze was asked during his weekly press conference on Monday if the same statement from Auburn athletic director John Cohen would mean something to him in his future endeavors as the Tigers’ head coach.
“That would be huge,” Freeze said. “It would make everyone feel a lot better, for sure.”
This past Saturday, Auburn fell below the .500 mark during Freeze’s tenure at Jordan-Hare Stadium following a 23-17 double overtime loss to then-No. 16 Missouri. He now owns a 9-10 record at home, becoming the third head coach in program history to post a losing record at Jordan-Hare Stadium at some point during their tenure.
Auburn fans were in a frenzy on social media over the weekend, voicing their frustrations on where the program sits during Year 3 of the Freeze era.
Freeze noted that he has not had any discussions with Cohen regarding a statement or his future on the Plains following the loss this past weekend.
“I haven’t talked to John. I'm gonna say, John has been so supportive ever since, obviously my hire. I don't get too much into – you know, they have a job to do, and certainly he has people he has to answer to," he stated.
After the loss to Missouri, Auburn fell to 2-9 in one-possession games. All of Auburn’s losses this season have come against AP top 25 opponents and by 10 or less points.
Freeze continued to deliver the same message as he has most of the season.
“I know how close we are. I know I can get this fixed, and we're too dang close, and we've got to get a little bit better play and a little bit better coaching at a few spots. I want a chance to fix this,” Freeze said.
Freeze will lead his Tigers into Donald. W Reynolds Razorback Stadium this Saturday to take on Arkansas at 11:45 a.m. on SECN. It will mark Tigers fourth true road game and third conference road game this weekend, making them one of three SEC teams to do so.
“We just are not consistent enough, over and over again at this at this time,” Freeze said. “And that's why we're sitting here feeling like we are about a team that's played four top 15 teams right down to the wire. I’m excited to get us better this week as we travel to Fayetteville.”
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