Well, he was definitely part of the coalition that tried (successfully) to keep him from returning to the SEC since then. Several schools felt burned by what Freeze did at Ole Miss and were vocally pissed about it to Sankey for several years after... Cohen and MSU led that charge.
Got an update tonight and there is a power struggle ensuing in auburn... who would have ever thought it, right? The Booster Boys want Freeze, and they want him now. The AD/academic side is not signing off (at least as of yet) and they're worried about the red flags and blowback they are already getting (and would continue to get) if they hire him. There's also a bit of a social media/email campaign going on right now that is targeted at Freeze and auburn which is doing Freeze and the Booster Boys zero favors. Freeze was not one of Cohen's top choices and he knows if he gives in, his power is forever eroded and he's not even a month into the job yet. But he also knows he needs a coach named quickly now that the season is done so that they can get the staff set up, salvage recruiting, and be ready to jump on guys when the transfer portal opens. I still think Franklin is quietly in play. Grimes has always been in play, and he makes sense in terms that he'd appease the Booster Boys more than any other hire besides Freeze, but Cohen isn't looking to hit a single. Cohen would rather get his boss Aranda (and get both of them), but that doesn't appear to be an option at this point. Contact was made with Fickell, but he didn't express a ton of interest (not surprising). Former Utah/Miss State/Florida assistant and current Eagles coach, Brian Johnson, was interviewed and there is a lot of mutual interest there. If Freeze isn't the hired by Monday, then my money says he won't be and things will start to get real interesting.