Hugh Freeze has what Bryan Harsin didn't with Auburn football: financial backing from the team's boosters. Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde warned that Freeze has that for now, and it's not a guarantee to remain forever.
"Like LSU, Auburn has gone hard in the portal and scored some big wins that could yield immediate improvement. (Quarterback Jackson Arnold, snagged from Oklahoma, could either be ready to launch or an expensive mistake—the jury is very much out.) The Tigers’ freshman class of 2025 is ranked in the top 10 nationally as well. Unlike Harsin, who was an SEC outsider hired against booster wishes, Freeze at least has the backing of the money people—for now. That’s always a fickle thing. With three road games in September, Freeze could either solidify or rapidly lose that support," Forde wrote.
Harsin did himself no favors by refusing to do the work. Since he didn't travel to local high schools and introduce himself to coaches, the donor base had no reason to put hard-earned dollars on a man who was not earning a thing. He was also a nightmare behind the scenes and wasn't worth investing in, given the behind-the-scenes baggage. Harsin allegedly mistreated several players due to race.
Freeze has been a different story. He's underachieved on the field but has been an inspiring workhorse on the recruiting trail. It's not only spared him an impulsive panic buyout -- Harsin's recent buyout helps here too -- but it may buy him another down year.
Of course, it only buys Freeze another down year if the donors are still buying talent. Once there's no concerted effort to financial back the program, Freeze will have lost everything.