AUBURN, Ala. — Hugh Freeze is starting to do exactly what he accomplished nearly a decade ago at Ole Miss, that’s turn Auburn football in a positive direction. After an up and down tenure with Bryan Harsin at the helm, the Tigers proud program was hardly treading water on the field and it impacted recruiting severely.
Consistent top-15 recruiting class finishes under Gus Malzahn slid to the lower 20’s under Harsin along with an uninspiring 9-12 record overall in just one and one-half seasons. Of course, the hiring of Freeze was skeptical around the nation since he did bring severe penalties against Ole Miss which now head coach Lane Kiffin has navigated around.
While Auburn finished No. 19 overall following the 2023 cycle, Freeze assembled a class with two 5-star signees and the No. 8 ranked class in the country for 2024. Last year’s success on the trail has bled over into the 2025 cycle with two other 5-star commitments along with eight of the top ten prospects in Alabama in tow already.
A rich combination of fan support and its athletic department’s NIL collective ‘On To Victory’ has helped secure the pledges of so many high profile athletes. He alluded to that Friday during his press conference.
“We’ve been consistent with our message,” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said Friday. “Our message is pretty simple: Come and see. We think that Auburn has a different culture and environment than many. I’m not saying that’s for everyone or that we’re better than someone else, but I do think we’re different. I think there’s a lot of families that, when they get here, they sense that.”
“Obviously, we’ve got a competitive NIL with On To Victory. I think that’s a part of the discussion, we can’t sit here and say that it’s not, but it’s not like we’re crazy with it. I’m very upfront in saying I think things in life should be earned. I think we’re fair, I think that helps. I really think it’s the culture that people believe.”
Freeze feels comfortable about where his program sits with the current crop of high school athletes. He is confident that the work his staff has done on the recruiting trail will continue with other prospects likely to make decisions soon.
“I’ve got a staff that does a great job with it and building relationships with them and their families,” Freeze said. “I’m pleased with where we currently are. Do we need a few more pieces to the puzzle? Yes, and we’re working hard at that, and hopefully we’ll land a few more of those. We’ve made it a priority to start here in state.”
