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The Auburn Tigers lost their second straight SEC game on Saturday to secure a spot in the basement of the league standings. The same mistakes reared their heads in a loss to Oklahoma, taking away a game they likely should’ve won.
Hugh Freeze briefly shouldered some of the blame after the fact, something that’s been absent in a number of his previous postgame interviews. He then reverted back to the norm!
The head coach has been constantly criticized for throwing his players under the bus after losses.
Following a loss to Cal in which the Tigers scored just 14 points, Freeze insisted that his coaching staff called a near-perfect game. The plan just wasn’t executed.
It was more of the same after a loss to Arkansas.
Ball security has been the most notable offensive deficiency. Auburn simply refuses to not turn the ball over!
Entering the matchup with Oklahoma this weekend, the Tigers ranked last in the NCAA in giveaways. They’d add to that total on Saturday.
Auburn led for much of the game, but a fourth quarter collapse would result in defeat. The Tigers held a 21-10 advantage in that final period before handing the contest over to the Sooners.
Oklahoma took their final lead on a pick-six, a fitting finish for Hugh Freeze’s bunch.
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Rather than place all of the blame on QB Payton Thorne, though, he took responsibility.
“I shouldn’t have put him in that situation,” he said after the game. “It’s one that stings for sure, and I’ve got to help our team get over the edge.”
It was a welcomed change for many who believe he’s been too hard on his players. That said, Freeze later reverted back to his previous outlook on Monday.
The head coach defended his criticisms in previous interactions with the media. Then, he took it a step further.
“Everybody seems to think that when I tell you what really happened, that I’m throwing somebody under the bus,” Freeze said before again insisting he’d called the best possible plays in crucial moments of the game.
The players didn’t execute!
When asked about the first half goal line situation, Hugh Freeze prefaced his response with, “everybody seems to think when I tell you what really happened that I throw somebody under the bus…” pic.twitter.com/qbJpIOpkfQ
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) September 30, 2024
Normally, it’s the quarterback who’s been in the crosshairs. This time, it was a backup tight end!
After a brief shift from the norm, he went back to throwing his players under the bus.
The Auburn Tigers have struggled throughout the Hugh Freeze era, going just 8-10 across two seasons. Things don’t get any easier with a trip to Georgia coming up next.
The Tigers will look to rebound after letting another game slip away.