Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is entering the 2025 season under significant scrutiny. With rising expectations and a high-stakes quarterback situation, the pressure on Freeze to turn things around is mounting. The arrival of standout transfer Jackson Arnold and the promising development of freshman Deuce Knight have placed Freeze’s leadership and decision-making under the microscope. During the 2024 SEC Media Days, Freeze acknowledged the hurdles ahead and expressed appreciation for the fanbase, describing their support as familial. Nonetheless, internal sources suggest that failing to secure at least nine wins this season could put his job at serious risk.
SEC analyst Michael Bratton recently joined Paul Finebaum on That SEC Football Podcast and didn’t hold back when discussing Freeze. When Finebaum jokingly asked who Bratton would need protection from at SEC Media Days, he immediately pointed to the Auburn coach. When asked why, Bratton criticized Freeze’s tendency to deflect blame. “It’s never his fault… it’s everybody else’s fault,” Bratton said, pointing to a concerning pattern.
Since taking the reins in 2023, Freeze has struggled to deliver results. His first season ended with a 6-7 record, capped by a loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl. The start of the following season didn’t improve matters, with a 2-2 record that included disappointing home defeats to California and Arkansas. Bratton highlighted Freeze’s firing of numerous staff members and removal of players, saying, “He’s fired everybody he’s had to fire. He’s gotten rid of players now.”
One of the biggest storylines entering 2025 is the unresolved quarterback competition. Jackson Arnold, a five-star transfer from Oklahoma, was expected to take the reins. But Deuce Knight, a highly-touted freshman, has impressed throughout spring practice, creating genuine uncertainty about who will start. Coaches and teammates have praised Knight’s attitude and humility. “I’m just trying to get better every day and be the best teammate I can,” Knight said, choosing to focus on growth rather than hype.
Some observers believe Freeze’s decision to delay naming a starter is part of a calculated strategy to raise the performance level across the board. Others argue that this indecision risks unsettling the team’s morale and focus. The quarterback battle has come to symbolize the broader challenges Freeze faces — managing talent, expectations, and leadership all at once.
Further pressure has come from former players as well. Bo Wallace, who played quarterback for Freeze at Ole Miss from 2012 to 2014, offered stinging criticism in a Reddit post. He alleged that Freeze pushed him to play through injuries with pain-numbing shots just for the sake of the coach’s success.
Adding to the scrutiny is the belief that Freeze now has the tools to succeed. Auburn boasts a deep roster and a favorable 2025 schedule, including home games against top-tier opponents like Georgia and Alabama. The resources are there; it’s now up to Freeze to deliver.
As the season nears, Freeze finds himself at a pivotal crossroads. The quarterback dilemma — Arnold’s pedigree versus Knight’s potential — mirrors the high-stakes choices he must make across the program. His ability to navigate these complexities may determine not just Auburn’s record, but his own future as head coach.