Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze knew some things in life, like Bo Jackson’s calls, that you don’t ignore. So, when Bo asked for a favor before the Regions Tradition golf event, Freeze had to say yes. What began as a simple request for golf clubs turned into a day of surprises. Freeze shared some funny moments during a recent discussion.
Still, in the middle of the fun, the conversation got serious. Freeze spoke openly about the pressures of leading the Tigers. He talked about what it takes to develop elite quarterbacks and the high hopes fans have for Auburn’s future. It was a mix of humor, honesty, and a rare look at the coach behind the headlines.
Auburn’s Hugh Freeze Shares Golf Day Story With Bo Jackson
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze recently sat down in the Coca-Cola room at the Regions Tradition golf event for a fun and honest chat on “The Next Round Show,” an SEC-focused podcast. The conversation started with football but took a few surprising and lighthearted turns.
When asked about the toughest college football player he’s ever coached against, Freeze didn’t hesitate to name Johnny Manziel.
“The first one that pops in my mind—whatever you think about him, this that or the other, I don’t care,” Freeze said. “But the first guy that just popped into my mind when you said that was Johnny Manziel.” He made it clear that Manziel was one of the most challenging players he’s ever faced.
The conversation then took a fun turn. Freeze recalled a moment when he was in St. Louis, and Bo Jackson needed his golf clubs in time for the Regions Tradition, a big PGA Champions Tour event. Jackson shared the whole story with the group.
“Yeah. Called coach yesterday, right? I said, ‘Coach, I don’t have golf clubs.’ Right. I got a friend to go by my house, right? Get my clubs, left them on his front porch. Right. Because my friend is a builder, so he knows where his house is. So he brought me my clubs, got them this morning right on time. Right. Didn’t miss my tee time. And I played so horrible. Look, I got heartburn. I got heartburn,” Jackson joked.
Hearing that, Freeze couldn’t help but laugh, adding, “But you know what I told him is—when Bo calls or texts, the answer is yes.” But it wasn’t all about golf.
The coach also spoke about the pressure of coaching Auburn and his thoughts on quarterback Jackson Arnold’s future. He believes confidence is key to Arnold’s success.
The 55-year-old said, “I think the whole deal is confidence. I think if he can regain the swagger and confidence that a Gatorade Player of the Year has, I think he’s got all the tools, and I’ve seen it. And I think this spring I witnessed that.”
He also knows the pressure to deliver at Auburn is real. The head coach emphasized, “I think our administration understands that, look, I inherited a program that didn’t have a top-25 recruiting class for four years… I think one more, and then your roster looks complete, but I’m still not naive.”
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Auburn opens the season on the road against Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29. It remains to be seen how the Tigers will handle the pressure and deliver a meaningful season for their fans.
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