Every Tuesday we present “The Auburn Corner,” where we’ll get into a different topic on the Auburn Tigers, break down the previous game, preview the upcoming game, and everything in between.
The Auburn Tigers have become a far cry from what many thought they could be headed into year two of the Hugh Freeze era.
After a 6-7 record in year one was excused by most, given the situation Freeze inherited from the previous administration, the hope was that the win total would climb for a program expected to take a big step in year two of the Freeze era. However, it’s gone in the opposite direction in 2024.
Freeze’s team is even worse this season than last season. With the absurd turnover problem seemingly under control in the last couple of weeks, Auburn is simply a team who does not know how to win football games right now.
The latest blown lead against Missouri, in which the Tigers were up by two touchdowns late in the third quarter, is just another example of the fact that Freeze cannot get his team to close out a win.
Sitting now at an absurd 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the SEC, Auburn is starting to enter historically unsuccessful territory by program standards. The sobering reality here is that Freeze has entered the Bryan Harsin danger zone of results, sitting at 8-12 in his time as Auburn’s head coach after Harsin was fired at 9-12.
Those who excuse Freeze once again point to what he has done on the recruiting trail, saying it’s a talent issue and how he doesn’t have his own guys yet, and that the recruiting cycles need time to produce on the field.
But that “talent issue” doesn’t exactly explain losses over the last two years to California, Arkansas, New Mexico State, and Maryland. Freeze has lost to teams now for two years in a row that he has superior talent to, and the excuse is that he doesn’t have enough talent?
At what point does Freeze begin to take some of the blame from the fanbase and his bosses for the performance of the team he is coaching and their pathetic inability to win a game? At a certain point, results on the field have to be expected.
Exactly how patient everyone remains will be put to the test this weekend if the Tigers find a way to lose to a dumpster fire of a Kentucky team this weekend in Lexington. If Freeze has ever had a must win in his time on The Plains, it’s right now.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
