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Hugh Freeze firing row: Auburn to pay massive buyout; first contenders for new coach emerge
Hugh Freeze has been fired. Auburn parted ways with its head coach after dropping its fifth game of the season.
Hugh Freeze has been fired. ESPN and Sports Illustrated cited sources to report on Sunday that Auburn parted ways with its head coach after dropping its fifth game of the season. The 10-3 loss on Saturday came against Kentucky.
With the firing on Sunday, Freeze's three-year stint with the Tigers has come to an end. He finished with a 15–19 overall record and a 6–16 record in the SEC. His buyout will be worth just over $15 million, SI's Fischer reported.
Hugh Freeze's buyout details
The 56-year-old, hired in late November 2022 after a successful stint at Liberty, will leave with a hefty payout. Freeze’s deal, worth $6.5 million annually, included a buyout of $15.8 million, which Auburn is now obligated to pay in full. Unlike some other contracts, the payout is not subject to mitigation, meaning Freeze will collect the entire amount even if he takes another coaching job elsewhere.
The decision comes after Auburn’s continued struggles under his leadership. The Tigers went 6-7 in 2023, including a Music City Bowl loss, followed by a 5-7 record in 2024. This season, the team stumbled to a 4-5 start, prompting the university to move on.
Before Auburn, Freeze built a strong resume at Liberty University, guiding the Flames to four winning seasons, including a 10-1 campaign in 2020 that earned a national top-20 ranking. That success, paired with his earlier years at Ole Miss, made him a high-profile hire expected to restore Auburn’s prominence.
The Tigers’ buyout history continues to grow steeply. Auburn paid $21.45 million to Gus Malzahn in 2020 and $15.3 million to Bryan Harsin in 2022. With Freeze’s $15.8 million added, the school has shelled out $52.55 million in severance to its last three head coaches.
Next candidate emerges
Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is expected to take over as interim coach for the remainder of the season, per On3’s Grant Grubbs. Auburn will face No 9 Vanderbilt on Saturday.
