Auburn will have to replace both coordinators as it enters year two of the Hugh Freeze era. While Philip Montgomery’s ouster as offensive coordinator felt like more of a dismissal, defensive coordinator Ron Roberts is leaving to take a job at Florida.
Will this lack of continuity from year one to year two help, or hurt the program?
On the field, the issues with Auburn seemed to sit squarely with the offense this season. The Tigers finished 11th in the SEC in points per game, ranking 121st out of 130 FBS teams in passing offense with just 162.2 yards per game.
The defense wasn’t spectacular by any means, but it was formidable enough. That’s why it wasn’t a huge surprise when the news broke that Philip Montgomery wouldn’t be retained.
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However, one aspect that did raise some eyebrows, is that Freeze is set to take over play-calling as the de-facto offensive coordinator himself. Freeze has plenty of experience in that spot, and his offenses at Ole Miss were always among the best in the conference. Undoubtedly, he’s capable of doing the job.
But why was Montgomery even hired in the first place?
On defense, Auburn is bringing in former Colorado and Alabama assistant Charles Kelly to ease the transition from Roberts as an underrated offseason hire.
Overall, hitting the reset button could prove beneficial for an Auburn program that struggled through a 6-7 season in Hugh Freeze’s first year. Continuity is often talked about — but the quality of coaches is just as, if not more, important.
As the primary play caller, the pressure on Freeze will now be even higher in year two. If things go poorly again on the offensive side of the ball, the blame will fall squarely on him.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
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