Hugh Freeze assesses the value of having former players on staff
Hugh Freeze recognizes how much the past can help the present at Auburn.
During a press conference last week, Freeze assessed the value of having former Tigers’ players on his staff, and spoke to how important someone like Cadillac Williams has been to his operation thus far.
“I lean on Cadillac quite a bit, and Zack [Etheridge],” started Freeze. “There’s a lot of things that we’re saying in staff meetings, ‘Was this a big issue last year?’ And I wouldn’t know that without knowing those guys. Not just them, there’s some in off-field roles that we’ve kept that have connections to the other side of campus, and do different responsibilities for us.
“I value all of their input, as I’m trying to make decisions as to what do we change, what do we try to get a lot better at or this was pretty good, and how did it work and maybe we want to do that too. Their input is valuable to me.”
Hugh Freeze is going to need all the help he can get to help streamline the process of getting Auburn back to contending in the SEC. It’s good to know he has some help to lean on throughout the journey.
Hugh Freeze discusses getting to know his players, explains ‘distraction lists’
Continuing, college football players can find themselves on any number of awards watchlists, but new Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze keeps his own sets of lists. He calls them ‘distraction lists’ and you don’t want to be on them.
Especially not this time of year.
“If you’re showing up on a lot of lists it’s not a good sign,” Freeze said. “That distracts me and I don’t care for it very much at all. I call them my distraction lists. Parking, academics, you name it. It’s usually not good if they come across my desk on a list. So I’m just listening and watching but looking forward to getting to know our team, truthfully.”
The new Auburn coach has had to spend most of his time since taking the job working on recruiting — both out of the transfer portal and in the high school ranks.
So one of his few ways of keeping up with what’s happening in the team’s offseason conditioning program, how his players are doing in the classroom, and so on, is those lists.
Freeze hasn’t yet gotten to the stage where he’s started penciling in his depth chart or drawing up a whole lot of Xs and Os.
“I’m more concerned with them approaching the workouts with coach Dom (Studzinksi)correctly right now,” Freeze said. “I don’t know that it’s the right approach, but I’m listening and watching. And looking at the lists that come across my desk. Starting next Wednesday I’ll start having some meetings but I’m kind of just looking and watching and listening right now and trying to get to know them by their actions more than just someone that can sit and talk to me.”