After last 2023‘s season-long offensive fiasco, Hugh Freeze decided to take a more hands-on approach with Auburn’s offense.
Freeze spent much of his time during his first season on the plains focused on recruiting, roster management and the constant daily tasks and stressors that college head coaches face in the modern era.
Those responsibilities haven’t necessarily left Freeze this season, but the second-year Auburn coach has returned to the bigger role in his offense that he took at previous stops.
He said during the offseason — and reiterated Monday — that both offensive coordinator Derrick Nix and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin help with play calling, but Freeze remains involved too.
When talking about his duties, Freeze spoke about the challenges of being involved in the offense while still managing the program overall.
“This morning, we’re trying to get the basics of the Kentucky plan in, and we’ve got a stream of players that I want to see and spend time with,” Freeze said during his Monday press conference. “That’s been in and out, and I’ve been in and out. But I’m pretty clear with the guys and what I think we can do.”
On top of meeting with players and dealing with issues within the team, recruiting and roster management has become a year-round task for college football coaches.
With Auburn trying to hold onto a top five recruiting class, Freeze is already swamped with responsibilities that go beyond determining Auburn’s next offensive gameplan.
“It’s a challenge to recruit, to recruit your current roster, to help work on the offensive game plan. Thank God I’ve got guys I trust on the defensive side. If I had to do anything more over there, it definitely wouldn’t be enough time in the day,” Freeze said.
“This profession has gotten to where you feel like you’re lifting weights and there’s an added 45 dumbbell every day with something else. Whether it’s the transfer world or an academic or discipline issue or family issue the kid is having,” Freeze continued. “I enjoy being part of trying to figure out how to get this offense, along with Coach Nix and Coach Austin and Coach [Marcus] Davis, Coach [Jake] Thornton, all those guys that are in there with our analyst crew, to be efficient. And to find a way to put games away.”
Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m
