247Sports' Nathan King confirmed on September 29 that Hugh Freeze would not lose his head coaching job if Auburn football finished 4-8 in 2024. The Tigers fell to 2-3 on the season after a 27-21 loss to Oklahoma in Week 5.
With the Tigers' record against FBS teams falling to 4-9 against FBS teams since Freeze took over, there's a number of Auburn fans who'd be content with the program pulling the plug on his coaching tenure. That'd mark the third straight head coach on the Plains who'd be fired and owed a buyout.
Those fans aren't going to get what they want, though. AD John Cohen has strongly endorsed Freeze, claiming that Auburn is actually ahead of where he thought they'd be at this point when he took over in 2022.
"One of the things that frustrates me, Paul, is I will hear people talk about all these issues and come up with all these reasons," Cohen told Paul Finebaum ahead of the OU game (h/t On SI). "We're not where we want to be yet. But we're big boys and girls, and we recognize we have this huge responsibility. It never comes as fast as we want it to.
"But I believe in the way we're recruiting. I believe in what's going on in out locker room right now. And I think we're in a better position now, honestly, than I thought we were gonna be in two years ago."
Hugh Freeze safe with Auburn football until wheels fall off in recruiting
Freeze has top-five recruiting classes in 2025 and 2026, and though he isn't seeing success yet, his 2024 class is showing tangible promise. Freshman WRs Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons look like keepers, and it's seemingly inevitable until Perry Thompson and Bryce Cain catch up. Defensively, Freeze has brought in productive transfers in S Jerrin Thompson, LB Dorian Mausi Jr., and DB Antonio Kite to strengthen a unit that has promising freshman all over the depth chart.
Things are going well on the recruiting trail, but Freeze's reluctance to nab a transfer portal QB in the 2024 cycle is looking like a massive mistake. Payton Thorne is improving but still fails to inspire hope for many considering how lowly his play has been against SEC competition the last two years.
Freeze is safe until the recruiting wheels fall off. But it's fair to worry if not addressing the QB position will derail this season -- and if future recruits will respond accordingly.