The never-ending list of narratives during and immediately after the tenure of Bryan Harsin has always been a source of both discourse and entertainment for the Auburn Family. Auburn football, plagued by both inside ineptitude and outside interference for the better part of the last decade, saw what might have been its lowest point under Harsin.
Countless players speaking out on culture problems within the locker room, the transfer portal killing the roster, and an investigation into Harsin’s conduct while employed at Auburn all led to Halloween 2022 when Harsin was terminated effective immediately by Auburn University President Chris Roberts.
Exactly four weeks later, Hugh Freeze was officially announced on Auburn’s social media accounts as the next head coach of the Tigers. What has ensued is the return to normalcy on the Plains, with a coach who works to earn respect while also demanding that his players earn his. Sophomore cornerback Keionte Scott recently spoke with On3 Auburn Live beat reporter Justin Hokanson to detail the differences between Harsin and Freeze.
Scott told Hokanson many instances of the contrasts between the two. Hokanson wrote in his article that Scott and other plays believed Harsin had “lost the locker room” and that there was a “toxic culture”. Scott also said that they knew it was “only a matter of time” before the end of Harsin’s tenure.
In contrast, Scott said that while Freeze’s personal past is notable, he respected that Freeze asked that the players let him earn their trust and feels that it will be easier to commit to a two-way relationship under a coach who is transparent about that.
It is becoming very apparent that whatever went wrong during the tumultuous year and a half that Harsin was the head coach, Freeze is determined to right the ship and sell the Auburn football program.