Hugh Freeze became the latest head coach to get fired in the middle of the season as the Auburn Tigers head coach joins James Franklin, Billy Napier and Brian Kelly in the list of coaches. The decision was made after their 10-3 loss against Kentucky last week, as their overall season record dropped to 4-5.
In the wake of this dismissal, let’s explore three potential candidates who can replace Freeze in Auburn.
#1 Jon Sumrall (Head Coach, Tulane)
Tulane’s head coach, Jon Sumrall, appears to be a good fit, thanks to his ability to build a winning program. Moreover, he has prior experience coaching in the SEC, thanks to his stint with Kentucky both as a player and a coach.
He has also received endorsement from SEC analyst Paul Finebaum, who finds Sumrall an “intriguing candidate.”
“I wouldn’t just try to hire the hot name,” Finebaum said. “I would try to hire someone who has experience, great abilities, but mostly potential. We all know the same names. I don’t think I can add anything. The name that I think is most intriguing is Jon Sumrall because he is hard-nosed. I think he will remind some people of Pat Dye, which is never a bad way to go when you’re trying to identify the next Auburn football coach.”
#2 Brent Key (Head Coach, Georgia Tech)
Brent Key is a dark-horse candidate for the job at Auburn. He is currently at Georgia Tech, where he has led the program to a winning record in the last three seasons. This year, Key has emerged as one of the best head coaches in all of college football as he has led Georgia Tech to an 8-1 record so far.
However, he doesn’t have a lot of experience coaching top-tier programs, with the only SEC reference he has being working with Alabama as offensive line coach from 2016 to 2018.
#3 James Franklin (Former Head Coach, Penn State)
James Franklin is easily the best candidate for the job after he was fired by the Penn State Nittany Lions this season. He led the program to College Football Playoff semifinals in the 2024 season and has a great deal of experience when it comes to coaching top-tier programs. Auburn is one of them.
Auburn could pursue it in the offseason, and Franklin would likely want to return to college football.
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