WATCH: Hugh Freeze Introduced as Auburn’s New Head Football Coach
Auburn University has introduced Hugh Freeze as the Tigers 31st head football coach.
The announcement came at a news conference inside the university’s new football performance center Tuesday morning. Sources say he will make $6.5 million a year.
Freeze comes from Liberty University, where he had a 34-15 record over four seasons. SEC football fans will remember his time as head coach at Ole Miss during the 2012-16 seasons, and his back-to-back victories over Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2014-15.
Freeze resigned from Ole Miss in 2017 amid scandal. The university was hit with a long list of NCAA punishments for violations while Freeze was there and while his predecessor Houston Nutt led the team. Nutt sued Ole Miss and during that period, it was uncovered that Freeze used his university cell phone to call an escort service multiple times.
At today’s news conference, Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen, himself new to the job after being hired from Mississippi State last month, said that Freeze was transparent, remorseful and accountable for his past actions. Cohen says that credibility adheres to the Auburn Creed.
“I did what I did, but it’s not who I am,” Freeze said to a reporter’s question.
Cohen says Freeze was at the top of their list of candidates from the beginning. He says Freeze has a written plan for his players future career after football, which includes education. Cohen says that also matches the Auburn Creed.
There were questions over what would happen to Auburn’s running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who took over as interim coach after Bryan Harsin was fired on Oct. 31, finishing the season with a 2-2 record and bringing much-needed enthusiasm to the struggling team.
Williams will stay on as running backs coach, but add the title of associate head coach.
Freeze’s voice cracked several times as he thanked his family for sticking by his side and thanked God for His faithfulness through his career.
He says he’s met with players and will be looking for leaders in the locker room as he sets a new standard for performance. He says that he will instill the values of faith, attitude, mental toughness and integrity in his players. He says the team needs love from students and fans as they prepare for next season.
