According to several reports, Hugh Freeze has emerged as Auburn’s top target to become their next head coach.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported Saturday morning that Freeze has been in discussion with Auburn about becoming the school’s next football coach for weeks. A formal offer is not expected to be made until after Saturday’s Iron Bowl game against Alabama, Thamel reports.
In recent weeks it appeared that Auburn was pursuing Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, but it now sounds like Kiffin is staying in Oxford and the Tigers have focused on Freeze. ESPN’s Chris Low reported on Saturday that Kiffin has reiterated to Ole Miss staff and officials that he is staying at the school.
Freeze was named Liberty’s head coach in December 2018, going 8-5, 10-1, and 8-5 in his first three seasons. He has guided the Flames to three straight bowl games and wins, the first three bowl games in program history. Liberty is currently 8-3 this season entering Saturday’s regular season finale against New Mexico State.
Auburn fired Bryan Harsin in late October after the Tigers dropped to 3-5 on the season. Harsin was 9-12 overall in less than two seasons at Auburn.
Freeze agreed to a new multi-year contract extension with Liberty earlier this season. That contract extended him through the 2030 season and was set to average just under $5 million per year over the course of the deal.
Under Freeze, Liberty finished the 2019 campaign at 8-5 following its triumph over Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The following year, behind Freeze and new starting quarterback Malik Willis, the Flames had its best season in school history. Liberty finished the year at 10-1 and defeated its first two ACC opponents in school history with wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech. The Flames would go on to defeat previously unbeaten and nationally ranked Coastal Carolina to win the 2020 Cure Bowl and finished the year ranked No. 17 in the final Associated Press top 25 poll.
Ever since he was hired at Liberty, Freeze has been mentioned as a potential coaching replacement for just about any Power Five job that has come available, particularly in the southeastern part of the country. Freeze, who is originally from Mississippi, has had previous head coaching stints at Lambuth, Arkansas State, and Ole Miss.
