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Hugh Freeze is no longer the head football coach of the Auburn Tigers. The program decided to make a change in leadership following a loss to Kentucky.
The Tigers will now pay him a boatload of money to NOT coach. Contrasting reports have created confusion surrounding the buyout total.
Freeze was hired by the program ahead of the 2023 season. He’s gone 15-19 across 2+ seasons.
Year 3 was expected to be the coach’s best to date on The Plains. Freeze spoke of College Football Playoff ambitions in the preseason. The Tigers have not come close to reaching those expectations.
Auburn is 4-5 with a 1-5 mark in SEC play. They are more likely to miss a bowl game than compete for a title. The downward trajectory sparked a major change.
Hugh Freeze was fired.
“Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen announced on Sunday a change in leadership for the Auburn Football program. D.J. Durkin will serve as interim head coach,” the school said on Sunday.
“I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn Football program. Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn Football are to annually compete for championships and the search for the next leader of Auburn Football begins immediately.”
-Statement from AD John Cohen
Freeze signed a six-year deal with Auburn worth $39 million. He was to be owed $15.4 million if fired this year without cause.
Unlike James Franklin and Brian Kelly, his contract does not include a mitigation clause. His next salary will not work towards reducing Auburn’s payment.
That would lead one to believe the Tigers are on the hook for the full amount. There is now a bit of confusion as to the buyout total.
How much will Auburn pay its fired football coach?
Mike Gittens of The War Rapport suggested that a reduced buyout was agreed upon. He also claims that Freeze was asked to renegotiate a week earlier after a loss to Missouri but refused.
Hugh Freeze has stepped down as Auburn’s head Football Coach after a meeting with John Cohen at noon today. A source confirmed there were multiple attempts to negotiate a buyout after the Mizzou loss which were rejected by Coach Freeze.
After the loss to Kentucky, a deal was reached to accept a reduced buyout last night in return for Hugh Freeze to step down. Working to confirm the exact numbers on what was accepted but it appears the university was prepared to litigate if need be.
Without the mitigation clause, the leverage would seem to be in Hugh Freeze’s hands. Gittens, however, insists that image played a role in reducing the buyout.
Essentially, Freeze took less money to resign as opposed to being fired according to Gittens. Others on the national level refute those claims, however.
Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports says Auburn will pay Freeze his $15 million+ in full. There was no settlement.
Auburn did not negotiate a different buyout number, meaning the university will owe Hugh Freeze the $15.4 million as detailed in his contract after this year.
From a financial standpoint, this would make the most sense. Why take less when you can take more?
The semantics of resigned vs. fired shouldn’t play much of a role. The outside perception will remain the same.
Either way, Hugh Freeze is out as Auburn’s football coach. DJ Durkin will lead the program while the Tigers search for a replacement.