Auburn University has parted ways with head coach Hugh Freeze after two and a half seasons following a disappointing home loss to Kentucky. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will serve as the interim head coach while the university begins its search for a permanent replacement. Freeze's tenure ended with a 15-19 record, including a losing record against Power Four opponents and limited success in SEC play.
) - Auburn is officially parting ways with Head Coach Hugh Freeze after just two and a half seasons with the program. Athletic Director John Cohen confirmed the decision to make a change in leadership following Saturday night’s 10-3 home loss to Kentucky, the team’s fifth SEC loss of the season.
According to Cohen, defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will serve in an interim role until a new head coach is appointed. In a statement from the University Sunday, Cohen called Freeze a ‘man of integrity’ and thanked him for his work with the program. “Our expectations for Auburn Football are to annually compete for championships, and the search for our next leader begins immediately,” Cohen’s statement read.His overall record at Auburn was 15-19, which included six SEC wins, seven losses against Power Four opponents, and just one win against a ranked team.that had previously been winless in conference play was a battle of a hot seat, pitting two coaches with jobs in question against each other. Quarterback Ashton Daniels got the starting role over Jackson Arnold after the former led Auburn to a second-half comeback victory over Arkansas last week. Against Kentucky however, he couldn’t give Auburn’s offense the spark that Hugh Freeze previously said they desperately needed. Daniels was 8-for-16 in passing with just 72 yards through his two quarters of play. Freeze put Arnold in at the top of the fourth quarter who gained just 26 yards across six plays before Freeze shuffled back to Daniels for a final drive that ended on a game-sealing interception. The third-year Auburn head coach seemed out of answers following a loss in a game where the Tigers were a double-digit favorite to win. “I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not something that people wanna give in this day and time, and I understand that. I just know we’re so dang close,” Freeze told the media Saturday night. Following the University’s decision Sunday, Freeze released a lengthy statement on X in which he expressed support for Durkin while encouraging fans to continue supporting the players as they seek to finish the season out strong.Fans have not shied away from voicing their dissatisfaction with the current state of the program, with calls for Hugh Freeze’s firing growing louder on social media over the last few weeks.go. It’s obvious this is not working and no one can tell you with a straight face that they have any belief things will get better this season. Waiting for the off week or until the season is…Against Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia and Missouri, Auburn's offense has had 10 drives in the fourth quarter or overtime with a chance to tie or take the lead. The first of those was a 14-play TD drive in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma that gave Auburn the lead. The other 9…Following Saturday night’s loss, the sentiment boiled over as Freeze walked off the field to a flurry of boos and chants of “Fire Hugh!” raining down from the stands of a sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium.At a pre-season press conference in July, Freeze said he was taking an ‘expectant’ mentality into his third year, something he wanted to define the team’s attitude towards success. “We’re expectant of being a really good football team that competes in every game and has a chance to win every game,” Freeze said. “I’m teaching, ‘A proverb a day, keeps stupid away’ during camp and hopefully that impacts all of us in life and in football. The overriding theme is expectant, so I’m glad the kids are listening, and they feel the same.” Freeze signed a six-year contract with Auburn in 2022 worth $39 million. In his inaugural year, Auburn held an overall 6-7 record for the 2023 season. Despite their losing record, the Tigers received an invitation to play in the Music City Bowl, which they lost to Maryland 31-13. In his second year, Auburn’s overall record fell to 5-7 with a 2-6 record in SEC play. Another Iron Bowl defeat shut them out of the playoffs in 2024. After starting the 2025 season 3-0, Auburn has yet to defeat a power conference team, falling in four straight games to Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia and Missouri. three of these games were decided by a single score. The decision to cut Freeze means Auburn University will have to buy out the remainder of his contract. He is currently owed $15.8 million, according to ESPN. He is also the third straight coach Auburn will have paid a significant amount of money to walk away. The school fired Gus Malzahn in 2020 and had to pay out $21.45 million. Then it cut ties with Bryan Harrison in 2022 and owed him $15.3 million.Man who shot up medical clinic threatened to murder Houston County deputies, indictment alleges
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