Hugh Freeze could have several years left as Auburn's head football coach regardless of the results on the field; to the chagrin of many. At a minimum, though, CBS Sports' John Talty reports Freeze will survive the 2024 season and maintain his job into 2025.
Talty also reports that his seat will be "scorching" head into next season and stressed the importance of nailing the QB position after Payton Thorne's unsuccessful two seasons.
"It's hard to imagine the Hugh Freeze era in Auburn going worse than it has through nearly two seasons. Through 22 games at Auburn, Freeze is 9-13 overall, 4-10 in the SEC, 1-6 in SEC home games and 0-2 against quarterback Diego Pavia. Freeze has a worse record than his predecessor, Bryan Harsin, who was fired after only 21 games as Auburn's head coach. Statistically Auburn actually isn't that bad but has a remarkable ability to blow games it shouldn't leading to a pitiful 3-6 record that will result in missing a bowl game," Talty wrote.
"Freeze's recruiting prowess -- the Tigers currently have the nation's fifth-best recruiting class -- should buy him another year, barring unforeseen developments, but he's going to enter next season on a scorching seat. He'll need to show major improvements in Year 3 and must figure out the quarterback position after unwisely not bringing in a transfer QB to challenge Payton Thorne this past year."
Payton Thorne is Hugh Freeze's legacy until Auburn gets better at football
Not getting a QB to push Thorne, either to being better or out of the QB1 spot altogether, is Freeze's defining mistake that led to the 2024 season's results.
Thorne has improved throughout the 2024 season, just as he progressively figured things out throughout the 2023 season. His inability to contend with elite SEC defenses made him a liability in both of his years on the Plains, though.
When he's not throwing picks, he's not doing enough otherwise. That's the story of Auburn's life in Freeze's first two seasons.
Until this program wins football games again, Thorne will be the ammo Freeze is hit with from enemy fire.