Fired Auburn football OC prefers new UFL job over coaching Tigers

Philip Montgomery was let go from the Auburn football program in the offseason by Hugh Freeze -- who threw the offensive coordinator under the bus several times when the Tigers' offense stalled out in 2023 -- and as it turns out, life is better for him on the other side as the Birmingham Stallions' OC in the UFL.

“It’s been ball all day long,” Montgomery said on March 6 while speaking to AL.com. "I’m not chasing kids about going to class or tutoring or missing breakfast or whatever that might be. I’m not worried about the recruiting side of it.

“It’s just ball all day and that’s been really enjoyable for me.”

Now this isn't an indictment on Auburn. In reality, it's an indictment on the stresses of being a college football coach in general.

Philip Montgomery, despite Auburn football hiring, has nothing but good things to say about the Plains

Montgomery made a point to speak highly of the Plains -- from Auburn living up to it's nickname as "The Loveliest Village" to the environment at any SEC game on any campus across the South.

“You know, Auburn is a great place," Montgomery prefaced before saying, "It’s an exciting place. The community is unbelievable. It has great people there. They’re exciting about their football. My family and I enjoyed our time there and we’re excited about this new opportunity.

“You just get to play in a lot of unbelievable-type atmospheres when you’re there. Especially in the SEC. Any time you’re playing Georgia and Alabama and LSU and Texas A&M and all of these, you’re going to have some great battles and great matchups and some great atmospheres.”

Good on Montgomery not to burn bridges considering many of the fans cheering on his (well, Freeze's) offense double as Giddy-upping Stallions fans.