📡 Auburn predicted to fire Hugh Freeze, hire their version of Nick Saban in former Super Bowl–winning coach - Yahoo!

[SEC Sports]

Auburn predicted to fire Hugh Freeze, hire their version of Nick Saban in former Super Bowl–winning coach

Hugh Freeze enters a pivotal year at Auburn, and one projection has the Tigers eyeing a blockbuster hire that could shake up the SEC coaching landscape.

sports.yahoo.com

Auburn predicted to fire Hugh Freeze, hire their version of Nick Saban in former Super Bowl–winning coach originally appeared on The Sporting News

Hugh Freeze is entering his most important season yet at Auburn.

This will be just Year 3 for Freeze, but after last season’s 5-7 finish and a missed bowl appearance, the Tigers are expected to take a significant step forward. Simply posting a winning record may not be enough for a coach who is 11-14 overall on the Plains.

It’s unclear what the exact benchmark will be, but Freeze is widely viewed as one of the top hot seat candidates in 2025. In fact, Saturday Down South’s David Wasson predicts Auburn will fire him and turn to a high-profile replacement — former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.

Gruden, speaking recently to the Georgia Bulldogs, made it clear he wants back in the game — and specifically in the SEC.

“The only reason I really came here is I want to coach again,” Gruden said speaking to the Bulldogs. “I’m being honest with you, I do not bulls***, either. I want to coach again. I’d die to coach in the SEC. I would love it. I would f---ing love it.”

Wasson believes those SEC coaching ambitions only add fuel to the idea that Auburn could make a move.

“If for no other reason than he currently coaches for the same university that ran Tommy Tuberville, Gene Chizik, Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin out of town… Freeze is dead man walking at Auburn,” Wasson wrote. “The Little Brother-ism at Auburn simply cannot stand that Big Brother in Tuscaloosa engineered perhaps the greatest run in college football history, and therefore has been looking for the Family’s version of Nick Saban for the better part of 20 years.

“Gruden brings NFL bona fides and just the right brand of craziness to fit right in at Toomer’s Corner. If Gruden comes in and takes down the Crimson Tide, you better damn well believe he will be there armed with cases of toilet paper!”

Auburn hasn’t had more than six wins in a season since 2019 under then-coach Gus Malzahn and is 0-3 in bowl games during that stretch.

If Gruden’s SEC coaching aspirations are serious and Freeze gets his pink slip, it could set the stage for one of the biggest hires in program history.

 

[Bammerboy321]

I don't get the love for Gruden. His last stint with the Raiders showed he never really adapted to the current game from when he coached previously with the Bucs. While he is a little more demanding, his teams routinely regressed during the season and he showed to have a very stubborn approach to the game. Also, there was a lot of nepotism with his coaching hires. He hired an NFL retread in Greg Olsen, then an awful DC in Paul Guenther. He kept Guenther, despite obvious signs their defense was mediocre. It wasn't until fan pressure hit him that he had to release Guenther.

I'm not sure how he'd do in the college game. Probably would be similar to Herm Edwards.

 

[c5vetman]

I'm no expert, but I've heard from more than one "expert opinion" that Gruden's success in Tampa was only because of Tony Dungy. I can definitely see how that may be the case since Dungy is responsible for getting them better, he just retired one year too soon

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Tennessee has wanted "chucky" for so long.
So...ok fires their HC...hires Tennessee coach away from them and brings him back home to Oklahoma...
And Tennessee gets "chucky".....before AU can grab him...

 

[Bammerboy321]

I'm no expert, but I've heard from more than one "expert opinion" that Gruden's success in Tampa was only because of Tony Dungy. I can definitely see how that may be the case since Dungy is responsible for getting them better, he just retired one year too soon

He inherited a very hungry team that needed a fiery coach. Dungy is an excellent coach, but his personality didn't really fit to put them over the edge. Gruden had that fire as a young coach and ton of motivation to stomp the same organization that traded him in the off-season. I think it was Warren Sapp who said Dungy would politely smile at you as they crossed in the hallways, while Gruden would say "hey you son of a bitch, I'll kick your ass today". But his career after the SB was nothing special, other than one 11-win season in 2005. Lot of questionable coaching decisions, off-season moves, and a stubbornness approach that resulted in his firing at Tampa.

If I also remember correctly in 2020, the Raiders were coming off a bye week at 6-4, while the Falcons were a tumultuous 3-7 squad. So the Raiders were still in the hunt for a playoff birth and had actually beaten the Chiefs earlier that year. None of that mattered and they got ass blasted 43-6. They lost 5 of their last 7 games and missed the playoffs. That's pretty much a microcosm of Gruden's career as a HC. He still has a SB though, so that's something.

I don't know how well his style of coaching would translate to college.

 

[mando]

Reality be damned it just has to have the perception that he is the next CNS. Dillusion...