The 2025 college football season is right around the corner, and it's going to be a make-or-break year for Head Coach Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers football team.
After inheriting a dysfunctional program in many aspects from Bryan Harsin, a 6-6 season with a great recruiting class was good enough in 2023. Hopes were high and expectations were reasonable, and it looked like things were turning around on the Plains.
But then the Tigers fell flat in 2024. Another great recruiting class was brought in and fans thought things would improve, but it was a season marred by errors where the Tigers seemed to be constantly taking one step forward and two steps back.
With a completely new quarterback room led by former Oklahoma signal-caller Jackson Arnold and a wide receiver room that has received high praise from Freeze and his staff during the offseason, things must be different this year. Freeze knows it, too, and spent time going over all the troubles from last season to make sure that things change in 2025.
"I've studied it in-depth," Freeze said, per Auburn Undercover. "It was critical downs, turnovers and really our kicking game."
The new members on the offense will hopefully address the critical downs and turnovers, and all reports indicate that kicker Alex McPherson will play this season after being sidelined with gastrointestinal issues last year.
"I thought it would take three full recruiting classes to get an elite roster," Freeze said. "We've had two top-10 classes in our two years. There's reason for optimism that we should be able to compete. Having said that, we had chances to win games last year — and the year before that we didn't. And I have to own that."
Auburn football kicks off the 2025 season on August 29 against Baylor.