Hugh Freeze shares how close Auburn is to competing for championships

Auburn proved last season that it can get up for big games and compete with some of the best teams in college football. The next step for Hugh Freeze’s program is to show up every week ready to play.

In order to do that, the Tigers have to continue to build the type of culture Freeze wants and continue to add depth and playmakers to their roster.

Freeze spoke with The Paul Finebaum Show recently about how close Auburn is to being where he wants the program to be.

“That’s a great question,” Hugh Freeze said. “I think we’ll know pretty quick this season after those first five home games kind of where we are. I do think, if you look at the roster right now and compare it to those of the likes of the teams in this league that are playing for the SEC Championship year in and year out, or national championship and the playoffs, our roster is probably not totally there yet.”

Auburn has a chance to get off to a fast start this season as the Tigers face Alabama A&M, Cal, New Mexico, Arkansas and Oklahoma — all at home — to begin the year.

Auburn should be favored in at least four of those five games, and if they can win all five, they could be on the way to having a special season. Still, Freeze knows there are teams on Auburn’s schedule with a better roster, but that doesn’t mean he’s conceding those games.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t win games,” Freeze said. “But I feel much better in Year 2 than I did in Year 1. And I think give us two more recruiting classes and our roster’s going to look just fine with the rest of our league. But I think there’s reason for optimism this year. Our kids are confident, and I like the chemistry.”

Freeze added a couple of new coaches on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, and he expects those additions to pay off this fall.

“The hire of DJ Durkin and Charles Kelly was huge,” said Freeze. “They brought a great energy to that side of the football and obviously wealth and knowledge in recruiting. And offensively I have everybody in that room that’s either coached with me or been with me before or played with me. So we’re kind of of one mind now.”

Durkin was hired as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Auburn this offseason, while Kelly was hired as the co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach.