Jake Crain wouldn’t be shocked to see Hugh Freeze at Auburn if Bryan Harsin was let go
Auburn football has not inspired a ton of confidence thus far this season, giving up 16 points in both games so far against an FCS squad (Mercer) in Week 1 and a Mountain West team (San Jose State) whose QB (Chevan Cordeiro) went for nearly 300 yards in a one-possession win this past weekend.
Penn State looms this coming weekend, and like last year in Week 3, the tone could be set for the rest of the season either way. In September 2021, busted play-calling from former offensive coordinator Mike Bobo saw a fourth-and-goal end zone fade lead to a late eight-point loss, and the Tigers ended up losing their final four games down the stretch in a similarly heartbreaking fashion.
This time around, following a less-than-inspiring late win against a team that needed a backdoor TD to take down Portland State in their opener and in the wake of the dismissal of similarly under-the-microscope Scott Frost at Nebraska, Bryan Harsin faces the biggest challenge of his life. Win against Penn State and there’s a legitimate shot the Tigers could start off 5-0 with Mizzou and LSU coming to town with bad losses already under their belt. Lose and there’s a ton of question marks that’ll be flying around.
On the latest episode of ‘Crain & Company,’ show host Jake Crain made a claim that Hugh Freeze could be the next head coach on the Plains if things go south for Auburn football this season and Harsin is let go:
"“Hugh Freeze, somebody is going to get him. If Nebraska doesn’t hire him, which they probably won’t, and Auburn lets Bryan Harsin go, I would not be shocked if Hugh Freeze ended up at Auburn…”"
No one will question Bryan Harsin if Auburn football wins seven games
Looking at the 2022 Auburn football schedule, there are three gimmie’s on the schedule and two of them have already been won — albeit in unspectacular non-spread covering fashion Weeks 1 and 2. Western Kentucky is largely thought of to be the next, although depending on who you ask, it may be Mizzou given their recent destruction at the hands of Kansas State this past Saturday. So, at most, there’s four very winnable games on the schedule, and the rest will be scraps against the SEC West and defending champions Georgia.
If Harsin could take three games against LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State, very few would be talking about firing Bryan Harsin. Upset Penn State, Georgia, and/or Alabama, and that talk will die out completely.