Alabama writer predicts another buyout for Auburn football soon if recruiting dries up
Bama Hammer's Ronald Evans wants Hugh Freeze to get a lifetime contract to be Auburn football's head coach but, on a serious note, expects recruiting to dry up and the Tigers to hand out yet another contract buyout.
It'd be the third consecutive buyout after Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin received theirs within a two-year span.
"Cohen may be whistling in the dark (talking about being happy about where Auburn is at)," Evans prefaced before saying, "He has no choice. Auburn fans are panicked that recent recruiting successes will evaporate in the coming weeks. They have good reason to be concerned. If Hugh's recruiting wizardry proves to be a mirage, Auburn will have another buyout in the future. Saving money by letting Freeze limp into a third season may suddenly be seen as a bad business decision."
Few will ever peg Evans as an Auburn optimist, let alone an appreciator. But he was at least optimistic about the Tigers back in May -- when hope sprung eternal about what AU can accomplish during the 2024 season.
With three losses, all as favorites within the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn is now a laughingstock to the rest of the SEC.
They shouldn't be, though.
Auburn football should be better, and doesn't have forever to get there
Auburn outgained Oklahoma by nearly 200 yards and outgained Arkansas by nearly 100. It's just the -9 turnover margin that has the Tigers losing games they shouldn't be.
As Freeze noted during a September 30 presser, Auburn isn't far off and is simply going through "growing pains."
Luckily, Freeze will likely get a third season in 2025 if things continue going the way they've been on the Plains, with 247Sports' Nathan King relaying that 4-8 won't get him fired. Recruiting has been going too well and, despite the disappointing losses, Freeze is still making believers out of star high school prospects.
But 2025 is likely the stopping point.
If this program isn't moving in the right direction on the field this time next year? There will be calls for Freeze to be removed from more than just the portion of the fanbase that wanted him gone the minute his tenure started.