On3 Roundtable: Comparing how Hugh Freeze, Jimbo Fisher handled questions on offensive coordinator role

The difference in tone was more than noticeable between Hugh Freeze and Jimbo Fisher at SEC Media Days. Both coaches are relinquishing play-calling and, when asked about it, gave vastly different answers.

Fisher said he was “not going to get into that” when asked whether he or Bobby Petrino would call plays at Texas A&M. Freeze, meanwhile, admitted he “needs that help” after leaving Liberty for Auburn. That’s why he brought in former Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery.

The way they approached their answers certainly stood out. For Auburn Live beat reporter Justin Hokanson, it was a refreshing change of pace from Freeze.

“I thought that was a pretty transparent comment, when [Freeze] was asked about who’s calling plays. … But lately, kind of talking about his time and Liberty, he goes, ‘I feel like I wasn’t quite on my game as much,'” Hokanson told On3’s J.D. PicKell on On3 Roundtable from SEC Media Days. “Which, you don’t always hear a coach say. You certainly wouldn’t have heard the last Auburn coach say that.

“He was basically just saying Philip’s calling the plays, but I’m there. ‘If something comes up, if I feel like I’ve got a vibe on what needs to be called or what’s going on, I’m there.’ There’s a lot of people that will have input. But he made it very clear, Philip Montgomery is the play caller. That’s his challenge. But of course, Hugh Freeze is saying, ‘I’ve got the history and the background and I’m there.’ But yeah, I thought the the comment about not being quite on his game was just a really honest and transparent thing to say.”

PicKell also noted what Freeze’s response indicates about his relationship with Montgomery, who spent the last eight years at Tulsa. It comes in a different light than how Fisher’s relationship with Petrino, the former Arkansas coach who most recently worked at Missouri State, could be perceived.

“Honestly, it’s funny we mentioned A&M,” PicKell said. “And not to dunk on Texas A&M, but the situations are so different in the sense that you have Philip Montgomery and Hugh Freeze, it sounds like kind of in harmony working toward something where I don’t know what’s going on internally at Texas A&M. But you don’t get a real harmonious feel when Jimbo Fisher’s answering question about Bobby Petrino.

“It feels like you got two hands kind of maybe yanking different directions on the wheel. I don’t know. It was interesting to hear that about Hugh Freeze, though. I was appreciative of his transparency there, as well.”