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Paul Finebaum offers harshest criticism of Hugh Freeze yet as Auburn football coach

By Andrew Hughes

Finebaum did not take kindly to Hugh Freeze's Auburn program making him and the rest of ESPN look foolish by losing to Cal
Finebaum did not take kindly to Hugh Freeze's Auburn program making him and the rest of ESPN look foolish by losing to Cal / Michael Chang/GettyImages
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Paul Finebaum is no longer giving Hugh Freeze the benefit of the doubt after his Auburn football program lost 21-14 to Cal in Week 2. In fact, Finebaum offered harsh observations on Freeze's mannerisms in the scathing verbal jab.

“There’s no one else to blame but Hugh Freeze,” Finebaum said on the September 9 edition of “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on WJOX-FM 94.5 (h/t AL.com). “If you want to pile on Payton Thorne, go right ahead. He’s the one Hugh Freeze chose. Hugh Freeze is the offensive wizard. Hugh Freeze is the head coach. ... This is someone Hugh Freeze banked the entire season.

“This is a trend. This is not an aberration. This is not a one off. This is where this program is right now under Hugh Freeze."

"Hugh Freeze look like he’s in another world sometimes,” Finebaum added in the several-minute long, multiple-question-and-answer rant. “I’m not really sure what’s going on with him. But I’m not concerned about what he looks like at a press conference or an interview, I’m more concerned about what he’s doing during the week in preparation to get this team ready to play.

“This one Auburn threw away.”

Loss to Cal devastating in every way imaginable for Auburn football

It's not an exaggeration that the loss to Cal as a near-two-touchdown favorite has derailed significant momentum for this program. Deuce Knight looked like a certainty to flip from Notre Dame over the weekend but now the Tigers and Fighting Irish are questionable options with uncertain long-term futures under Freeze and Marcus Freeman. At this rate, anyway.

Certainly, Lane Kiffin looks a lot more secure in the Lucedale, Mississippi product's flagship home state school. Maybe that recruiting spark will reignite.

Beyond Knight, the Tigers now to have to worry against New Mexico. Especially about who starts at QB on the first drive. An overwhelming number of Tiger fans will want Hank Brown to be QB1 -- and Jordan-Hare Stadium can see migration from boobirds if Payton Thorne walks out onto the field on the first offensive drive.

Beyond New Mexico, every SEC team on the schedule looks capable. Vanderbilt looks formidable while Arkansas looks like it'll be a challenge. Louisiana-Monroe might be the next "gimme."

It wasn't supposed to be like this but it is. Now it'll be about whether Freeze can make adjustments and turn it around or not.

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