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Hugh Freeze is out as Auburn football’s head coach, putting the Tigers on the clock for its next head coach. Freeze finishes his time on the Plains with a record of 15-19 and is buyout is set around 15.8 million dollars. Here’s a list of names to watch for in Auburn’s search for its next head coach: Jon Sumrall, Tulane HC Jon Sumrall rebuilt Troy into a powerhouse, posting a 23-4 record over two seasons. Now at Tulane, he’s off to a 6-2 start this season after leading the Green Wave to a 9-5 record last year. The Huntsville, Alabama native was 12-0 against opponents in the Sun Belt while at Troy. Three of the Trojans’ four losses came to teams either ranked in the Top 25 at the time or ended the season ranked. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State HC Kenny Dillingham won the Big 12 Championship with the Sun Devils last season and took ASU to its first-ever College Football Playoff berth. Dillingham, now in his third season with the Sun Devils, previously served as an offensive coordinator at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State, and Oregon. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt HC Clark Lea is Vanderbilt’s most successful coach since former Penn State coach James Franklin. With Vandy sitting at 7-2 this season after leading the Commodores to a bowl game in 2024, Lea’s name has surfaced for multiple job openings in the upcoming coaching carousel. DJ Durkin, Auburn DC Durkin came to Auburn in 2024 after spending time in the SEC as the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. In his first season at Auburn, Durkin’s defense posted its best rushing defense since 2010 (117.8 ypg), best total defense since 2017 (330.8 ypg) and best scoring defense since 2019 (19.5 ppg). In 2025, the Auburn defense is allowing only 17.0 PPG through six games, marking the lowest for a DJ Durkin defense since his 2015 Michigan unit allowed 16.4 PPG for the season and finished 6th nationally. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri HC As the head coach at Missouri, Drinkwitz has developed NFL talent and created a winning culture within his program. Drinkwitz has 44 wins with 38 coming in the first five seasons, a school record. He also won the 2023 SEC Coach of the Year honor. Ryan Silverfield, Memphis HC Silverfield is in his fifth season with the Tigers and has maintained consistent winning, including an upset over Arkansas in the 2025 season. In his first year at Memphis, Silverfield set a school record for wins, with a 12-2 record, and has never posted a record below .500. Brent Key, Georgia Tech HC Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key has the team currently 8-1 and ranked in the AP top 25. Now in his third full season, Key is one of only five Georgia Tech coaches to reach at least 20 wins within his first three full seasons. Dan Mullen, UNLV HC Dan Mullen has prior SEC experience after spending 13 years as the head coach at Mississippi State and Florida. Mississippi State peaked at No. 1 in the polls in 2014 under Mullen, with current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott leading the team. His track record of developing quarterbacks like Prescott and Tim Tebow made way for his current head coaching role at UNLV. Gus Malzahn, Florida State OC Gus Malzahn gained fame as the offensive coordinator (2009-2011) and head coach for Auburn (2013-2020). With 105-62 overall record in 13 years as a head coach, Malzahn also led Auburn to the 2013 national title game. Glenn Schumann, Georgia DC Glenn Schumann has the credentials of a future SEC head coach, given his Alabama and Georgia coaching background. Viewed as one of the brightest young minds in the country, Schumann worked his way up from a student assistant at Alabama; to the defensive coordinator at the University of Georgia, specializing in linebacker schemes and coverages.
