Contract details emerge for Hugh Freeze, Auburn
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Hugh Freeze and Auburn have agreed to terms on a six-year, $39 million deal. The contract will pay the former Liberty headman an average of $6.5 million per year, eighth best in the SEC.
Freeze was confirmed to be the next Auburn head coach Monday afternoon after speculation over the weekend that he was the man for the job. Despite some late drawback from the program, they eventually pulled the trigger on the man they believe can turn the program around.
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Before accepting the Liberty job in 2019, Freeze was the head coach at Ole Miss, where he led the Rebels to back-to-back wins over Alabama during his tenure. In 2016 he led the Rebels to its first top-10 finish (No. 9) to a season since 1969 before being forced to resign the following offseason after recruiting violations were handed down to Freeze and Ole Miss by the NCAA.
Auburn finished 5-7 on the season, missing out on a bowl berth for the first time in a decade. Freeze will take over the reigns from interim head coach Cadillac Williams.
Robbie Ashford welcomes Hugh Freeze to Auburn
Auburn has ended its coaching search, ending with a former Ole Miss head coach. Hugh Freeze will be heading to the Plains via Liberty, becoming the third person to lead the program over the last four seasons. A press conference to officially announce the move is expected on Tuesday.
Reactions have poured in over Auburn deciding to make the move on Freeze, including some of their active players. Quarterback Robby Ashford seemed happy with the news, saying he is ready to get to work to handle some “unfinished business.”
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“@CoachHughFreeze Welcome to the Plains, let’s get to work we’ve got unfinished business to handle,” Ashford said via Twitter. “#WarEagle.”
Ashford worked his way into the starting lineup this year for Auburn after originally losing the quarterback battle to TJ Finley. He transferred in before the 2022 season from Oregon, returning closer to his Hoover, AL, home. Now, he will be the incumbent quarterback when Freeze takes over.
In the 12 games Ashford played in, he completed just under 50% of his throws for 1,613 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Most of the positive work was done with his feet, rushing for 710 yards and seven touchdowns.