Hugh Freeze: 'I didn't deliver a product for the Auburn faithful'

As he looked back on his time as Auburn head coach, Hugh Freeze acknowledged how things ended. During an exclusive interview with AuburnSports’ Justin Hokanson, he expressed his disappointment at the product on the field at the time of his dismissal.

Freeze sat down for a 38-minute conversation about his tenure on The Plains. Auburn announced his departure following a 10-3 home loss to Kentucky, which dropped the Tigers to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in SEC play.

As he looked back, Freeze acknowledged the product on the field was not what he thought it should have been. He expressed his remorse for what the Auburn fans thought, as well.

“I started trying to find joy in the fact that I was given an opportunity to coach at one of the best programs in the country, ” Freeze said. “I’m grateful for that. It makes me sick that I didn’t deliver a product for the Auburn faithful.

“It doesn’t help to say that we were close because nobody really cares about that. We were, though. And I do think that team’s got a real shot to make a run next year at the playoffs.”

Freeze had a 15-19 overall record after arriving at Auburn in 2023, including a 6-16 mark in SEC play. The Tigers made a bowl game in his first season at the helm, but did not make it back and won’t make an appearance this year after going 5-7 under Freeze and interim head coach DJ Durkin.

One of the big moves Hugh Freeze and Auburn made in 2025 was to bring in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, but things didn’t necessarily go as planned. However, Freeze made it clear he also deserves some of the blame how the year went.

“Let’s be clear, this is not a beat up Jackson deal,” Freeze said. “It’s never, always the quarterback. There are other factors. I mean, he missed a touchdown throw here at Oklahoma to a wide open Cam Coleman. Those plays you’ve got to make to win games. And he would say that too. And there’s also the Missouri game where we have what? Eight drops? Then there’s moments in the Georgia second half where he misses open guys, or the protection is not great, so it’s a combination of all those things.

“But certainly, it didn’t work out to the to the level that he nor I both expected for him and our team. And that’s that’s why I’m sitting here.”