Auburn Tigers football coach Hugh Freeze has been endlessly warned about what more of the same in 2025 will mean for his uneven, but the scale is more often tipped in the direction of losing than winning.
Freeze had already put his foot in his mouth before the campaign even started, claiming a minimum of six wins was acceptable. While his up-and-down summer on the recruiting trail is on a July high note, the August 1 unveiling of new NIL regulations is going to further shake things up.
Who knows which schools will be ready by then? Freeze is making key hirings for his recruiting staff to hedge against all the unknowns, but fundraising will still be the name of the game.
The almighty Big Ten dollar goes far in the tech world. SEC spenders, besides the oil-rich Texas Longhorns, may take a while to catch up or come anywhere close.
Freeze faces uncertainty off the field when, in reality, it may not matter for long what happens off of it depending on what happens on it.
USA Today's John Adams put it bluntly:
It's time to win.
"Here's a trivia question: Name an Auburn coach who endured three consecutive losing seasons and got invited back for Year 4. It's a trick question. The answer doesn't exist. Freeze has produced two losing seasons in a row. He cannot endure a third," Adams wrote.
"Freeze's current buyout of about $17 million is skimpier than some others on this list. Auburn paid more to fire Gus Malzahn, who never had a losing season.
"Last fall, Freeze could point to recruiting gains as a reason to remain optimistic, even as Auburn repeatedly blew opportunities in winnable games, and losses mounted. Recruiting has stalled, though. In Year 3, Freeze cannot expect an Auburn fan base starved for success to remain patient. It's time to win."
Freeze has already done three years of high school and Transfer Portal recruiting. This product is his to own.
If he owns an unsuccessful product, there will be a new visionary for it.
SMU Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee would've been a great comeback story had he not taken his shots at the SEC. Oh well.