Auburn made a statement in December when it decided to go with [autotag]Hugh Freeze [/autotag] as the next head coach of its football program.
The response has been divisive, but if Freeze can restore Auburn to being a perennial contender most fans of the Tigers will be on board.
Mike Farrell graded the first-year Power Five coach hires and Freeze was one of four coaches to earn an “A” grade.
Farrell’s take on Freeze: “Auburn needs someone who has experienced the SEC West battles from a recruiting standpoint and on the field and Freeze is perfect for that. He made Ole Miss very dangerous before he ran afoul of the NCAA and this time he’ll be wiser and more effective.”
The other hires to receive an A were Matt Rhule from Nebraska, Luke Fickell from Wisconsin, and Jeff Brohm from Louisville.
The only other new coach hire in the SEC was Zach Arnett from Mississippi State who earned a C.
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