Is Hugh Freeze on the hot seat at Auburn? Not yet. But in the court of public opinion, his approval as a football coach is hitting rock bottom. This season, which should have been a strong start based on the Tigers’ schedule, sees the team stumbling with a 2-2 record and the highest turnover rate in the country.
Freeze’s reputation as a person isn’t faring much better. His history of controversies from his time at Ole Miss and Briarwood Christian High School still shadows him, with little done to repair his image.
That’s why the storm of misinformation surrounding Freeze’s treatment of former Auburn players on social media this week is particularly surprising.
It all began with a tweet from former Auburn cornerback Josh Holsey, who claimed to have heard that ex-players had to buy their own tickets to attend games. Then, former running back Corey Grant added his own story, saying he was kicked out of Auburn’s facilities during a game without explanation.
Holsey’s tweet was posted around noon on Tuesday, and Grant’s came just before 3 p.m. Their comments, along with a few others, sparked outrage within the Auburn fan base. After losing to Cal and Arkansas at home, coupled with Freeze openly criticizing his players in postgame interviews, the news of disrespecting former players seemed like the final nail in the coffin for Freeze’s tenure, right?
Except, there was a problem: Grant clarified his remarks nearly seven hours later, around 10 p.m.
This isn’t the first time the Auburn fan base has pounced on rumors to vilify a struggling coach. During Bryan Harsin’s tenure, fans latched onto allegations of an affair in an attempt to force him out.
Of course, those allegations amounted to nothing. Auburn’s investigation found no evidence of misconduct.
Harsin’s problems went beyond gossip. He wasn’t winning games and was notorious for not recruiting. His staff turnover was unprecedented. He simply wasn’t the right fit for Auburn, and his firing was inevitable. It never needed to devolve into sensationalism.
Harsin’s ongoing jabs at Auburn after every loss might be easier to understand now. Coaches are fired for poor performance all the time, and it’s usually a clean break. But Auburn fans made things personal. Harsin’s family endured that drama. So, when he takes a swipe at Auburn, it makes sense.
(Especially when you consider that the proven allegations against Freeze are far worse than the baseless rumors about Harsin ever were.)
In Freeze’s case, the misinformation isn’t as scandalous, but it follows a familiar pattern. No fan base enjoys losing, but when an Auburn coach struggles, fans latch onto anything they can find—or invent—to force change.
Auburn has always been known as the SEC’s chaotic program, and this is the ugly, immature side of that reputation. It’s thrilling when Auburn spoils Alabama or Georgia’s season. But when a proven winner like Gus Malzahn gets pushed out in a coup? When affairs are fabricated to run a coach out of town? And now, when these patterns emerge again in Freeze’s second season?
This is where the chaos isn’t fun anymore. It’s just plain embarrassing.
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