The Auburn Tigers lost 10-3 to the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday night under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium. AU is down so bad that this is barely a surprise to some, but Las Vegas oddsmakers had the Tigers as double-digit favorites. So despite the product on the field for the better part of the last five games in SEC play, Auburn's talent was still trusted to win.
Nope. Hugh Freeze started Ashton Daniels for the first time, couldn't get the offense going, then switched to Jackson Arnold. Then, in the fourth quarter, in the final few minutes, with the game on the line, Freeze went back to Daniels.
Like a man without a plan. Or a man who no longer cares about coaching football on the Plains.
Freeze's leading passer had 108 yards. His leading rusher had 72 yards on 20 carries. His leading receiver had 34 yards. Yet another brilliant effort from the defense was squandered by an offensive performance that looks like the result of a leader-less group.
Whether or not there are three play-callers, as was rumored before the season, it doesn't matter now. This offense has produced 20 points in conference play exactly one time. Something needs to change. Freeze needs to make that call immediately.
If he even gets the chance.
Hugh Freeze's buyout easy to justify as offense sputters again
For a little over $15 million, Auburn can rid itself of Freeze. His buyout is far more manageable than some of the sport's recent buyouts, including Brian Kelly's after his LSU Tigers firing and James Franklin's after the Penn State Nittany Lions cut the cord.
Those guys were fired for much more successful tenures in Death Valley and Happy Valley than Freeze's in East Central Alabama.
Kelly and Franklin had nine and 10-win seasons in recent years. Freeze just put up three points against Kentucky and is 4-5. Auburn may not become bowl eligible with the team's final three games including the Vanderbilt Commodores, angry and coming off a loss to the Texas Longhorns, and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
More than enough damage is done. Whether Freeze's health had any effect on his mentally checking out, it's clear this vessel is being steered by a captain who's no longer following the lighthouse.
Based on the play-calling, it's unclear what's guiding Freeze. But something needs to guide him and John Cohen to parting ways soon, because Cohen's metaphorical car isn't starting with this loss to the Wildcats; and so something needs to change.