Copyright AL.com
This is an opinion column. The sun rose again Monday on an Auburn football facility led by Hugh Freeze. It’s fair to say the decision to retain that leadership was subject to debate amid a continued downward spiral. Ultimately, no move was made on a Sunday, a day that saw Florida’s Billy Napier axed midway through his fourth season in Gainesville, a week after James Franklin was fired at Penn State. That’s 11 FBS openings to date. So, as a reward for keeping this ship bobbing in the open seas, Freeze kept playing the hits Monday. He wasted no time, either. His third sentence of his weekly Monday news conference stated the combined record of the four straight teams that beat Auburn. It’s 25-3. No doubt, an incredibly difficult stretch for anyone. The Tigers went 0-4 in those games, and because context is important, we must add some here. The other half of Auburn’s Iron Bowl rivalry is coming off a four-game stretch playing opponents with a 23-5 record. Alabama went 4-0. Where Auburn lost to both Georgia and Missouri at home, the Crimson Tide beat both on the road. “I challenged the guys, and they believe it,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said, “that the world has not seen ‘Bama’s best yet.” What’s Freeze saying? “When you look at how close we are to winning each of those games, it gives me great hope,” Freeze said like Milli Vanilli when the tape stuck. “And I think that’s what you hold onto in times like these, the fact that you’re really, really close.” Perhaps Auburn will one day build a statue of Freeze. If they do, it should go across the street from Jordan-Hare Stadium. Because it’s close. In his next breath, Freeze dialed up a classic. “Truthfully, as a coach, I don’t know if there’s a lot you can do about a dropped pass here and there that makes a difference, or a missed field goal that makes a huge difference in these games,” Freeze said. Don’t blame him. That guy dropped a pass and his buddy missed a kick. “Keep encouraging and believing in those guys to make the next catch,” he continued, “the next throw.” It’s just tough to hear these things on repeat. Certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence that the sagging momentum will shift north. Most Popular Stories by Michael Casagrande Casagrande: Hugh Freeze looks tired. It’s time for a change, Auburn Casagrande: Hugh Freeze is so right about one thing Casagrande: Ty Simpson’s case for the Heisman You know what would? A vote of confidence from athletics director John Cohen. That’s when this just got sad. Freeze was asked about statements made by ADs before Monday’s Freeze press conference with embattled head coaches at Wisconsin and Florida State that stopped short of terminations. Would Freeze like one from Cohen? “It’d be huge,” Freeze said with a smile and chuckle. “That would make everyone feel a lot better, for sure.” Ha. Don’t blame Freeze, though. He said he’s no longer on social media, so he wasn’t familiar with the statements from Madison or Tallahassee. Freeze must also be unfamiliar with how ominous these votes of confidence can be. But if he wants some sadistic comfort, Freeze can check everyone’s favorite news outlet’s coverage from last week. Cohen spoke to AL.com last Monday and was asked about Freeze’s status after a third straight loss. “I don’t know if I’m going to walk outside and my car is going to start or not, I think it is,” Cohen said in an interview with Peter Rauterkus. “I have an expectation it will. But if my car doesn’t start enough, then I will evaluate that and make decisions about my car. But that’s not my expectation at this point about our football program.” A rhetorical warm hug if I ever heard one. Freeze went on to say he hadn’t spoken with Cohen since the 23-17 loss to Missouri on Saturday but the AD has always been supportive. “I know how close we are, and I know I can get this fixed,” Freeze said. “We’re too dang close.” There’s your quote for the statue. “I’ve trusted John since I’ve been here to do the right things, and he has to do what he feels is best for this program, of course. I think it’s us,” Freeze said. “I think we fit Auburn. I think we fit the Auburn culture. I think the culture in the building has changed. I think the talent level has changed. Unfortunately, we just haven’t gotten over the hump in a very difficult stretch of games, but I believe that’s coming very, very soon.” It’s just the same thing over and over. Close. Soon. Horseshoes. Hand grenades. Hugh Freeze. At least he hasn’t asked for patience like he did through the disaster of last year’s four-game conference losing streak. This is, after all, the third time in three seasons Freeze led a Tiger team to four consecutive SEC losses. The good news is the next four Auburn opponents don’t bring anything close to a 25-3 record to this phase of the season. They will see SEC teams with a 10-10 combined record (2-8 in league play) and Mercer (5-1) from the FCS. That starts Saturday at Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC), where interim coach Bobby Petrino carries some Auburn baggage. Just two coaches fighting to keep their second-chance gigs with winless SEC records at the end of October. Not where Auburn thought it would be in Year 3 under Freeze. Certainly far from where the Tigers should be this spooky season. Just don’t blame him.
