Paul Finebaum Gives Blunt Reality Check To Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze Amid Auburn’s Recruiting Woes
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze enters the 2025 college football season under significant pressure, with many viewing him as one of the coaches most at risk of losing his job. After back-to-back seasons with six or fewer wins, there’s growing speculation that even a seven-win season might not be enough to secure his position.
Despite some early success on the recruiting trail — including two consecutive top-10 classes — Auburn’s momentum has recently stalled. Over the past month, the 2026 recruiting class has taken a major hit, dropping from the top 20 to No. 80 in On3’s rankings following a string of decommitments.
This downturn has raised concerns and prompted critical commentary from SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum. During an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Finebaum called for accountability from the Auburn program and said it’s time to stop making excuses.
“Hugh Freeze had a couple of hot recruiting cycles, but that’s clearly faded,” Finebaum remarked. “They need to stop pointing fingers at Bryan Harsin. That narrative needs to die — it’s a bad look for both Freeze and Athletic Director John Cohen. They should focus on promoting themselves instead of blaming others. If they keep clinging to that excuse, it’s not that it might backfire — it already has.”
Finebaum also emphasized the importance of shifting the public perception of the program. While Auburn’s recruiting struggles continue, rival Alabama is surging, adding more pressure on both Freeze and Cohen. With recruiting momentum fading, significant improvement on the field in 2025 may be the only way to stabilize their positions.
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