Hugh Freeze has been fired by the University of Auburn, which means they’re now searching for a new head coach. As usual this season, James Franklin’s name was one of the first names to be brought up. Franklin was also fired from a high-stakes job this season, with the Penn State Nittany Lions letting him go after a decade-long association that nonetheless failed to bring a national title to Happy Valley.
While his name has been heavily linked to the job at Virginia Tech, which also opened up midseason, some are starting to wonder if he could be the man to take over Auburn. This would be a significantly more prestigious job than taking over the ACC Hokies.
Speaking at the latest episode of On3’s “Andy&Ari” podcast, Ari Wasserman said that Franklin doesn’t have to necessarily be the man to take Auburn to a national title, but he could be the one to bring the program back into relevance.
“At times, we always think about the next hire, and we think about the highest of heights the next hire could get to. But sometimes, I feel like programs need two hires to reach their state… So if you want to stabilize the rollercoaster and get like the safety inspection unit in there… I think James Franklin is the perfect hire.” (6:30)
Wasserman and fellow co-host Andy Staples did bring up the fact that James Franklin certainly still believes he could win a national title if given the opportunity. The upside is that Auburn could legitimately give him that chance. However, expectations should be lower for them, with Auburn being back to 9-10 wins per year being the attainable goal.
Why Did Auburn Fire Hugh Freeze?
On Sunday, Auburn’s athletic director, John Cohen, announced that the school had decided to let go of coach Hugh Freeze. Cohen’s statement explained the decision as follows:
“I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn football program,” Cohen said in a statement. “Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn football are to annually compete for championships, and the search for the next leader of Auburn football begins immediately.”
Freeze had a 15-19 record over two and a half seasons in charge of the Tigers. His SEC record was even more disappointing, with a mark of 6-16.
Read More:
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- Hugh Freeze Hot Seat: Insider Reveals Auburn ‘Bracing For Change’ Following Embarassing 10-3 Loss To Kentucky
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