Hugh Freeze makes big-boy move with latest Auburn football support staff hiring

Hugh Freeze made a "big-boy move," in the words of Footballscoop's John Brice, when he hired away LSU's Will Redmond for his Auburn football support staff to serve as the Tigers' new general manager of football.

"Hugh Freeze is making big-boy moves heading into Year 2 at Auburn," Brice prefaced before saying, "Freeze's gain is yet another loss for Brian Kelly and LSU. Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Freeze and the Auburn Tigers are plucking away Will Redmond from LSU to become Auburn's brand-new general manager of football. The reigning FootballScoop Director of Player Personnel of the Year, Redmond has in short order become one of the top personnel executives in all of college football."

While Freeze's latest hiring is universally praised, who he has in mind for his defensive coordinator opening is certainly not popular with everyone.

Rumored Auburn football DC hiring comes with controversy

D.J. Durkin, Freeze's targeted defensive coordinator hiring, would come with controversy -- unlike the Redmond support staff hire -- according to Saturday Down South's Spenser Davis.

"Hiring Durkin would not come without some controversy, however," Davis prefaced before saying, "Durkin was removed as Maryland’s head coach midway through the 2018 season following reports of a 'toxic' team culture. Durkin’s Maryland program came under scrutiny after a player, Jordan McNair, died of heatstroke after an offseason workout in the summer of 2018. Durkin had been on administrative leave since August of that year."

Freeze will always have doubters whenever he attempts to do practically anything on the Plains. A vocal portion of the fanbase has repeatedly made it clear that the Oxford, Mississippi native is not fully embraced by the Auburn family and will never be.

But Durkin's rumored hiring has its doubters outside of that contingent because of his up-and-down coaching career from a results standpoint alone; notably not including his most recent stint as defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, though.