He's got to get them back on track.
Paul Finebaum Names Prominent SEC Coach Who Hasn't Done a Good Job of Turning the Page originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The SEC Media Days concluded this week, placing several coaches under scrutiny. One of the biggest stories of the offseason was about Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and his golf game.
Freeze has certainly played a significant amount of golf during the offseason. A report from late June revealed that he golfed 10 times that month alone and has played over 20 rounds throughout the year.
He boasts an impressive handicap of 7.4, especially when compared to his counterparts at Auburn's two biggest rivals, Kirby Smart and Kalen DeBoer. Together, Smart and DeBoer have only played a total of six rounds, all of which were played by DeBoer. However, DeBoer has a handicap of 20.4, while Smart's is at 12.6.
On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst shared a humorous story but emphasized that Freeze needs to focus on moving forward and improving Auburn's situation after enduring four consecutive losing seasons.
"The golf stuff is low-hanging fruit," Finebaum said. "It's just so funny if you are not Hugh Freeze. From a distance, and I'm certainly at a distance, I don't think he's done a very good job of turning the page."
If fired without cause, Freeze will be entitled to 75 percent of the remaining value of his contract, with no offset. He signed a six-year deal before the 2023 season that started at $6.5 million, increasing by $250,000 each year. This season, he is scheduled to earn $7 million, which would total approximately $13 million by the end of the 2025 season.
According to 247Sports, there is reason for optimism as the Tigers have secured the No. 8 recruiting class and the No. 8 transfer portal class. Two of their standout additions from the transfer portal are quarterback Jackson Arnold and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr.
In his first season as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma, Arnold passed for 1,421 yards, recording 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions over the course of 10 games. Meanwhile, Singleton Jr. had an impressive season at Georgia Tech, racking up 754 yards and three touchdowns. He was also ranked among the top five players in the transfer portal.
Auburn opens the season on Aug. 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET, facing the Baylor Bears on the road.
Related: Hugh Freeze Opens Up About Mounting Pressure Before Crucial Season
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
