Auburn football could have the much elusive, highly mythicized, often spoken of but rarely attained alignment with their latest head coaching hire, Hugh Freeze. Coming in hot with a troubling past, Freeze has gotten to work on the recruiting trail to keep things centered on the game.
On Friday, December 2, Freeze was pictured with Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, 2023 Auburn football offensive line recruit (via Auburn High School) Bradyn Joiner, and the recruit’s mother sporting an On To Victory button-down shirt.
Notice the On To Victory button-down https://t.co/UfF1zK22Ve
— Justin Lee (@ByJustinLee) December 2, 2022
On To Victory, of course, is Auburn University’s official NIL collective. Freeze representing them on a recruiting visit with a recruit that was vocal in his support of fired head coach Bryan Harsin is an important sign that there is alignment at a fundamental level necessary to be competitive in the NIL era.
Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze already acclimating to local high schools
Hugh Freeze is aiming to thrive in a role Bryan Harsin seemingly lacked in during his short-lived time on the Plains: establishing relationships with local high school coaches. According to Brian Stultz of Rivals, Freeze has already met with most of the high school coaches in the state on December 1:
Hugh Freeze and several of his staff members made an appearance at Baumhower’s last night where more than 100 high school coaches from around the state were attending a private party.
— Brian Stultz (@brianjstultz) December 2, 2022
They spent a considerable amount of time talking to each and every coach there.
If Freeze can continue the work done on flipping Thompson High School DB Tony Mitchell — who looks poised to take his talents to Texas A&M despite their 2022 dysfunction — and, in general, get the ear of local coaches from some of the most talent-rich programs in the state, Freeze could overcome the initial skepticism from much of the fanbase.