Over the weekend, the powers that be finally made the move and fired Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze. In the middle of his third year on the Plains, Freeze completely turned around the Tigers' recruiting but was unable to get results on the field.
For the last five years, the Auburn football program has floundered, finishing each season with losing records and losing a bowl game if the team even secured an invite. Freeze was meant to be the hire that pulled Auburn back out of mediocrity, but after losing to Kentucky at home in a night game, there was really no choice but to fire him.
At this point in the season, Auburn is just one of many programs looking for a head coach, but there are plenty of candidates to be considered. On Monday morning, Paul Finebaum cast his vote for who he thinks should be the next head coach on the Plains.
“I wouldn’t just try to hire the hot name. I would try to hire someone who has experience, great abilities, but mostly potential. We all know the same names. I don’t think I can add anything. The name that I think is most intriguing is Jon Sumrall because he is hard-nosed," Finebaum said, per Auburn Wire. "I think he will remind some people of Pat Dye, which is never a bad way to go when you’re trying to identify the next Auburn football coach.”
Finebaum is in favor of hiring Jon Sumrall, who is currently in his second year as head coach at Tulane. His current record, heading into Week 11, is 15-7, and the Green Wave's record this season is 6-2. Sumrall has had assistant coaching experience (linebackers) at Kentucky and Ole Miss, and is a native of Huntsville, Alabama.
Though Sumrall said he was perfectly happy at Tulane on a podcast earlier this season after his name came up as a potential candidate for some of the open jobs this season, it's still possible he takes a look at the job on the Plains.