Auburn football had several bright moments in 2024, but the season was otherwise a disappointment.
After earning six wins and a bowl bid in Hugh Freeze’s first season, the Tigers regressed in 2024 by finishing 5-7 and a 2-6 mark against SEC foes. Auburn has now finished each of its last four seasons with seven losses and has failed to build a .500 or better record since finishing 6-5 in 2020.
CBS Sports evaluated the performances of second-year head coaches, including Freeze, by giving them grades. As expected, Freeze finished on the lower end by receiving a “D+.” Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports does not expect Freeze to keep his job if his squad fails to improve in 2025.
This isn’t what Auburn fans were hoping for when they ousted Bryan Harsin and brought Hugh Freeze back to the SEC. The Tigers are only 11-14 in two seasons under Freeze, including a mark of 5-11 in the SEC. The 2025 offseason will be a pivotal one on The Plains. I’m not confident a third straight season with a losing record will lead to a fourth year for Freeze.
The 2024 season was not kind to second-year head coaches as Cincinnati’s Scott Satterfield, Purdue’s Ryan Walters, Stanford’s Troy Taylor, and Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell join Freeze by receiving a “D” or worse grade in Fornelli’s report card. Arizona State head coach and former Auburn offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, as well as Louisville’s Jeff Brohm, made the most progress in year two at their respective programs by receiving an “A” grade.
Freeze will enter his third season at Auburn with an 11-14 record and a 5-11 record against SEC competition.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn’s Hugh Freeze receives grade following second season at Auburn
