Auburn has lost four straight games to start SEC play, sits at 3-4 on the season, and has an offense ranked 109th in college football, averaging 335 yards per game. In his third year as head coach, Hugh Freeze is 14-18, including 5-14 in conference play, and the seat he sits on is getting hotter by the second.
On Monday, the Auburn coach admitted that he might need a pat on the back from his boss, John Cohen.
“It’d be huge," Freeze said on if a statement of support from the athletic director would help. "That would make everyone feel a lot better, for sure."
The latest loss was another display of offensive ineptness, as the Tigers once again failed to put up 20 points in an SEC game. The result was a 23-17 overtime loss to Missouri. In four conference games this season, the Tigers have put up a total of 54 points.
Since the game ended on Saturday night, the head coach has yet to hear from the man who has his job in his hands.
"I haven’t talked to John (Cohen)," Freeze said. "I will say John has been so supportive ever since my hire. I don’t get too much into, they have a job to do, certainly, and he has people he has to answer to. I know how close we are, and I know I can get this fixed. We’re too dang close."
Freeze then went into why he thinks he can fix what has been ailing the Tigers through his first two-plus seasons in charge.
"We have to get a little bit better play and a little bit better coaching at a few spots," he said. "I want a chance to fix this... Again, I’ve trusted John since I’ve been here to do the right things, and he has to do what he feels is best for this program, of course. I think it’s us. I think we fit Auburn. I think we fit the Auburn culture. I think the culture in the building has changed. I think the talent level has changed. Unfortunately, we just haven’t gotten over the hump in a very difficult stretch of games, but I believe that’s coming very, very soon.”