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.

Published on: Nov 3, 2025, 24:53:31 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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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.

Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Auburn Tigers was fired on Saturday (Getty Images via AFP)

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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