Tag: Bryan Harsin

Former Auburn head coach expresses high confidence in Hugh Freeze

Can Hugh Freeze challenge Nick Saban at Alabama? One former head coach seems to think so.

Former Auburn head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag] and current Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] share similar coaching backgrounds. Both made it big in the high school ranks before ultimately becoming successful at the highest level of college football.

So it is easy to see why both coaches have become great friends and show support to one another.

In a recent interview with Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, Malzahn has confidence that Freeze will succeed at Auburn by saying that Freeze and Auburn are a good pair.

“I think Auburn and Hugh is a really good match. Auburn is an unbelievable place. Hugh is really, really good. I’m excited for both parties. You can win the whole thing there. Unbelievable fan base and support. He’s coming at a great time with NIL and the new facility. Everything came together.”

Malzahn was also asked to give his opinion on Freeze’s past which led to his resignation from Ole Miss following the 2016 season. Malzahn says that “everyone makes mistakes,” and that he hopes Auburn fans will give him a chance. Malzahn also feels that Freeze will sway more Auburn fans to join his side in one particular aspect.

“He’s going to be himself. He’s had success and he’s had success against Alabama. Not a lot of coaches have had success against Alabama. That’s what makes it a great match.”

Malzahn won 68 games during his eight-year span at Auburn from 2013-20. His tenure would see Auburn appear in the BCS National Championship in 2013, and in two SEC Championship games, winning the conference crown in 2013. He was ultimately relieved of his duties following the 2020 season, which made way for [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] to take the job. Harsin’s era was shortlived as he posted a 9-12 record in just 21 games coached. Freeze now holds the title of the head football coach at Auburn, boasting an 83-43 record between stops at Arkansas State, Ole Miss, and Liberty.

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Lane Kiffin opens up about his ties to Auburn job

The Ole Miss head coach was believed to be a contender for the Auburn vacancy before Hugh Freeze was ultimately hired.

Even before Auburn dismissed [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] from his position as head football coach in October, Ole Miss head coach [autotag]Lane Kiffin[/autotag] was believed to be the front-runner to be the program’s next leader.

Once the news of Harsin’s firing became official, rumors began to grow even more rampant.

Despite the rumored interest, Kiffin elected to stay at Ole Miss which led him to sign a hefty extension. More than four months after the speculation cooled off, Kiffin is opening up about the situation.

In a recent interview with Alex Scarborough of ESPN, Kiffin says that he struggled with the criticism he received despite making what he feels was the right move.

“We screw up all the time. But when you think you’re doing the right thing and then you’re really criticized for it — especially by your own people — I struggled with that because I feel like I went through a decision-making process that you’re supposed to go through,” Kiffin said. “I mean, you got to decide. It’s your life and your family’s life.”

Most of the criticism he received was due to his team’s performance over the final three weeks of the season. Auburn fired Harsin on Oct. 31, which was two days following Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas which moved their record to 3-5. Following that date, Ole Miss lost three straight games to Alabama, Arkansas, and rival Mississippi State.

Most believed that Ole Miss’ poor performance was due to Kiffin being distracted by the speculation of him leaving for Auburn. Kiffin says that he informed his team privately before the Rebels’ game against Mississippi State on Nov. 24 that he was indeed staying in Oxford.

“I felt that it would have been a distraction to make this big statement 24 hours before the game and making it about me,” Kiffin said. “So, I thought I was doing the right thing by saying, ‘OK, I’m going to avoid making this about me, you guys go play. But just so you know, you don’t have to sit here and worry that your coach is leaving tomorrow after the game or something. I’m staying, I just haven’t made it known publicly.’ I told them thinking that’s what obviously matters the most, and because we lost it wasn’t done right. If we won, nobody would’ve cared.”

Kiffin publically shot down the talks of his interest in Auburn following his team’s loss to Arkansas on Nov. 19 by saying that he was “very excited about the future.” Six days later, he reportedly signed a contract extension to stay at Ole Miss, which paved the way for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] to earn the job.

Auburn’s decision to hire Freeze has been a positive one to this point, as Auburn has already seen an uptick in high school recruiting as well as transfer portal additions. The turnaround on the gridiron has yet to be seen, but his tenure off to a great start nonetheless.

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Florida hires former Auburn staffer under Bryan Harsin

Bryan Harsin’s offensive coordinator in 2022 will be staying in the SEC.

One of Bryan Harsin’s former assistant coaches is staying in the SEC.

Former Tigers offensive coordinator [autotag]Eric Kiesau[/autotag], who was recently let go by Auburn as new coach Hugh Freeze brought his own staff to the Plains, is set to join the Florida Gators in an analyst role as reported by Matt Zenitz of On3.

Kiesau came to Auburn in 2021 as an offensive analyst, but he was quickly promoted to wide receivers coach four games into the 2021 season. He was further promoted in 2022 when he earned the offensive coordinator job in Harsin’s second campaign — that wouldn’t last, though. Auburn struggled during the 2022 campaign on the offensive side of the ball, causing the Tigers to fire him and multiple other staff members on Halloween.

The Gators will hire Kiesau coming off a disappointing season in Gainesville, Florida, that saw Florida struggle to make a bowl game and get blown out in the Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon State. With quarterback Anthony Richardson declaring for the NFL draft, head coach Billy Napier looks to strengthen the offensive side of the ball through Kiseau’s hiring.

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Defense by the Numbers: Top Tigers based on snap count

Which defensive player saw the most action during the 2022 season?

The offseason is now here, which means it is time to take a look back at the season that was for Auburn Football.

The 2022 season ended in disappointment as the Tigers finished with a 5-7 record. Auburn fired its head coach, [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag], eight games into the season, which led to assistant coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] taking over and leading Auburn to a 2-2 record to close out the season.

Defensively, Auburn had great performances from such names as [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], and [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag]. Their success translates to the time they spent on the field.

Auburn played a total of 894 plays on defense in 2022. Who saw the most playing time for Auburn on defense in 2022? Here’s a look at the data according to Pro Football Focus.

RELATED: Auburn Football’s top defensive players of 2022 according to Pro Football Focus

RELATED: Offense by the numbers: Top Tigers by snap count

Former Auburn DC Derek Mason resigns from same role at Oklahoma State

Mason was a member of Bryan Harsin’s inaugural staff as defensive coordinator in 2021.

A former member of Auburn football’s coaching staff has decided to take time away from the field.

[autotag]Derek Mason[/autotag], who was a part of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s first staff in 2021, announced Thursday he was stepping down from his role as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.

In a tweet, Mason said he plans to take a sabbatical from coaching to spend more time with his family and pursue other opportunities within college football. In his tweet, he also took time to show gratitude to Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, Cowboys players and Cowboys staff.

After spending one season on The Plains, Mason stepped down from his role as Auburn’s defensive coordinator on Feb. 7, 2022, to take the same role at Oklahoma State. His departure came at a strange time. One week before Mason’s departure, [autotag]Austin Davis[/autotag] resigned as offensive coordinator after just 43 days in the job.

Under Mason, Auburn’s defense allowed 372 yards per game, including 126 on the ground. The Tigers allowed an average of 21 points per game.

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Who is at fault for Auburn Football’s recent demise? Mike Farrell weighs in

“The Godfather of College Football recruiting” weighs in on several topics around the sport, including Auburn’s decreased production.

Auburn University hired [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] as its next football coach on Nov. 28, and he immediately got to work.

In just three weeks’ time, Freeze flipped several 2023 recruits from other schools to Auburn, which bumped its ranking from the 60s to No. 20. While doing that, he also put together a reputable staff in an effort to return Auburn to competitive form.

Everyone from players to fans is in good spirits at the moment when it comes to Auburn football, but it has not always been this way.

Fans were disgruntled at the end of the [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag] era and became more restless during [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s tenure. Harsin was relieved of his duties on Oct. 31, two days following Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas, after recording a 9-12 record through a season and a half.

Fan support, recruiting, and on-field production took a turn for the worst in the first two years of the new decade, and Auburn has no one to blame but itself for its recent demise says Mike Farrell.

“The Godfather of College Football recruiting” has started a new series titled “Fault or Fluke”, in which he rates college football’s recent disappointments. When mentioning Auburn, he says that the hire of Harsin was an issue from the very beginning.

This was simply a bad hire. Bryan Harsin was a fish out of water and arguably the 7th or 8th choice for Auburn in what seemed like a panic move to try to look smart after striking out on top candidates like Mario Cristobal. Harsin was never able to correct some recruiting issues left in place by Gus Malzahn (reduced traction in Georgia, OL recruiting, etc) and was never welcomed by the boosters. Hugh Freeze is in place now and has much more support but this is clearly FAULT on behalf of the powers that be at Auburn.

The dip in production from Alabama‘s Will Anderson, as well as Miami’s 5-7 season under first-year head coach Mario Cristobal were also examined by Farrell. He called both instances “flukes.”

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Offense by the numbers: Top Tigers by snap count

Who saw the field the most for Auburn on offense in 2022?

The 2022 season did not end the way that the Auburn Tigers had hoped, as they finished with a 5-7 record and had to finish the final four games without their head coach, [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag].

Despite the disappointing end to the season, Auburn closed the schedule by going 2-2 under interim head coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag]. After the season, Auburn received good news as he would be retained on [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s staff.

As the offseason begins, it is time to take a look back at Auburn’s season, beginning on offense. The first aspect of Auburn’s season that will be examined is snap counts.

According to Pro Football Focus, Auburn ran 826 total offensive plays during the 2022 season. Out of those 826 snaps, only one player took over 800 snaps on the season, one saw at least 700 snaps, and two more saw the field for over 600 plays.

Who saw the most playing time for Auburn on the offensive side of the ball this season? Here’s the data according to Pro Football Focus.

UAB head coach Trent Dilfer aims to out recruit Auburn

Dilfer stated his goal of making UAB “the next best option” for in-state recruits outside of Alabama.

Newly named UAB head football coach Trent Dilfer has an accomplished career in the sport.

He played 13 NFL seasons where he threw for 113 touchdowns, and led the Baltimore Ravens to a championship in Super Bowl XXXV. He now takes on a new role, leading a college football program.

He, like Hugh Freeze, had three weeks to maintain UAB’s 2023 class following the departure of Bryant Vincent, who served as interim head coach for the Blazers following the sudden retirement of Bill Clark in June.

The Blazers reeled in the No. 98 recruiting class of the 2023 cycle after the early signing period ended, signing five players from the state of Alabama. The Blazers’ class was the third-best from Alabama, trailing Alabama and Auburn, and beating Troy, South Alabama and Jacksonville State.

Following the end of the early signing period, Dilfer stated he wants UAB to be a strong candidate for in-state talent. He even stated his goal of out-recruiting in-state programs, such as Auburn.

“We’re looking for the best players in Alabama,” Dilfer said following the early signing period. “If they go to the University of Alabama, that’s awesome. But we’re going to be the next best option.”

If [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] were still the head coach at Auburn, I could definitely see this goal being realistic. After all, Harsin missed on the opportunity to land Quinshon Judkins, the Pike Road running back who rushed for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman at Ole Miss in 2022.

Harsin also did not give four-star safety [autotag]Sylvester Smith[/autotag] the time of day. He failed to close the deal on four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag]. Luckily, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and staff worked hard over a three-week span to keep those top prospects from Alabama within the borders.

Dilfer will work hard to make that dream a reality. But if Freeze and company continue to recruit in-state talent at a high level, it will be quite a climb. It will be a battle to keep an eye on.

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Bryan Harsin takes the top spot of an undesirable year-end list

Harsin’s tenure ended at Auburn before the end of the 2022 season. How did On3 view his season?

It is no secret that the end of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s Auburn tenure — the whole era for that matter — will forever be a dark chapter in the history of Auburn football.

He began his Auburn career as the “out of left field” hire. He was not the most popular name of the search, as he came to The Plains from Boise State with minimal experience coaching football in the south. In his first season, the Tigers began 6-2 with a win over a top-10 Ole Miss team. However, following that game on Halloween weekend, the season took an ugly turn. Auburn lost its final five games.

During the offseason, he was the target of a coup attempt. Though he survived, the issues within the program remained. In Year 2, Auburn lost to Penn State at home in blowout fashion and had lengthy winning streaks against Arkansas and Ole Miss end.

In addition to the on-field product, Auburn fell behind in recruiting.

Harsin was dismissed on Halloween, two days after Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

His time in Auburn was anything but pretty, which is why he takes the top spot of an undesirable year-end list.

On3 recently released its assessments of second-year coaches, from worst to first. Several coaches received a good grade, including Tennessee‘s Josh Heupel and Kansas’ Lance Leipold. Harsin kicked off the rankings by having the worst performance of any second-year coach.

Jesse Simonton of On3 sympathized with Harsin, but also wrote Auburn was more motivated to play following his departure.

For more than a year, Auburn essentially treated Bryan Harsin like the kid in “Toy Story” who tortures Woody with a magnifying glass. It was wholly unfair to Harsin.

But setting aside all the ugly and unfounded rumors surrounding Harsin and his family, the former Boise State head coach did an awful job at one of the premiere programs in the country.

Harsin lost five straight games to end a disappointing Year 1, and things only got worse this fall. After a pair of victories over cupcakes — including a way-too-close for comfort 24-16 win against San Jose State — the Tigers lost 6-of-7, with their lone win a Yakety Sax overtime victory against Missouri.

Harsin was poor recruiter (Auburn wasted a historic set of prospects from the state of Alabama in 2022), motivator and leader. It said a lot that the second he was gone, the Tigers suddenly started playing inspired and united.

Harsin’s Auburn career ended 9-12. After his dismissal, interim head coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] led Auburn to a 2-2 record, which ended its season 5-7.

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New hires to Hugh Freeze’s staff become official

Here’s a rundown of the hires that Hugh Freeze has made, and what their role will be within the staff.

Being a newly-hired head coach during this day and time has become challenging.

Not only do you have to construct a new staff, but you must do that while maintaining and improving your recruiting class before the beginning of the early signing period.

Auburn’s [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has done a great job juggling both tasks. He recently signed the nation’s No. 19 recruiting class, which is a vast improvement from before his hire. He has also put together a respectable staff that is sure to go a long way in rebuilding the program to become one of the best in the SEC.

Freeze’s staff is headlined by [autotag]Philip Montgomery[/autotag], who will serve as offensive coordinator. Montgomery is best known for being the mastermind behind Baylor’s high-powered offenses during the early 2010s and for being the college offensive coordinator for quarterbacks Case Keenum and Robert Griffin III.

Other key hires are [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], who are retained from the previous staff. Williams served as interim head coach following the dismissal of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag], and led the Tigers to a 2-2 record to close out the season. Freeze says that one of his first priorities when landing the Auburn job was to keep Williams on staff.

“I had already done my homework on people that we had in common, friends, I knew that my first priority was “I have to have Cadillac on my side to help me drive the culture of Auburn Football,” Freeze said during his introductory press conference in November.

Williams will serve as the running backs coach and associate head coach. As for Etheridge, he will coach the secondary alongside [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag], who comes to Auburn for his third stint. Those three have been vital in recruiting and will go a long way in building sustained success for the program.

Joining Etheridge and McGriff defensively will be [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] as defensive coordinator, [autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag] as the defensive line coach, and [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag] will coach linebackers.

Freeze has also hired two offensive assistants in addition to Williams and Montgomery. Jake Thronton comes to Auburn from Ole Miss, where he will coach the offensive line. Freeze also brings tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua from Liberty to Auburn.

Two other names that have been linked to Auburn are [autotag]Dominic Studzinski[/autotag] and [autotag]Kent Austin[/autotag]. Freeze shares an update on their roles within the staff:

“Strength and conditioning Dominic Studzinski and Kent Austin is our chief quality control of the program that overseas if we say we’re gonna do something a certain way let’s do it that way,” Freeze said. “So I’m excited about our staff and we’ll be bringing in the rest of the off-the-field support staff along with the wide receiver coach at the beginning of the new year.”

The only position group that does not have a coach to this point is wide receivers, which Freeze says will be taken care of soon. Freeze blames recruiting for the lack of a receiver coach hire, but I think that we will let that slide.

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