AUBURN — Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been in the coaching business a long time. With that, he has accomplished some significant wins—he is just one of five coaches who beat the legendary Nick Saban multiple times—and also seen some lows.
Taking over a struggling Auburn program in December 2022, Freeze has had the challenging task of bringing a winning culture back to Auburn. Finishing his first season on the Plains with a 6-7 record, with losses to New Mexico State and Maryland, Freeze and his Auburn squad have already dropped a game in which they were favored to start off the 2024 campaign.
So, how does Freeze get his players to respond to losses early in the season and keep them focused on the ultimate task at hand?
“That seems to get harder and harder in today’s times,” Freeze said. “But it is a challenge that you’re tasked with as a head coach. You hope and pray that the leadership of your team is your biggest asset to understand that this is just like life, and adversity will reveal your character and how you respond to that.”
Freeze has made it known that he wants to rebuild his program through the high school ranks, bringing in kids that fit the narrative of what he and his staff are aiming for at a place like Auburn.
“The good thing is that we’ve got a lot of young kids that just want to play and just want to get better, and we’re depending upon a lot of them. Obviously, I’ve said it’s going to take some patience in building this program here, and that doesn’t excuse our performance Saturday by any means. But we’re excited about where it’s headed with recruiting and these young kids that we’re playing right now,” he said.
College football, especially in the grueling SEC, comes with its ups and downs. Response to a bad performance can make or break a season, and Freeze knows that keeping his guys invested with leadership among the staff and within the locker room is the only way to keep the young season abound.
“Responding accurately to disappointment in this season is going to be vital for us, and it is, you know, I need the staff and obviously the leadership to respond correctly. And I thought they did that yesterday, and hopefully, that will continue the rest of the week," Freeze said.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email logan.fowler@1819News.com.
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