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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