Auburn AD John Cohen Compares Hugh Freeze’s Job to a Car

The Auburn Tigers athletic director had a unique way to judge the performance of Hugh Freeze

Auburn athletic director John Cohen made a peculiar comparison | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s been a wild few weeks on the Plains, as Auburn Tigers football has not only fallen in three consecutive games, but also removed a captain from the team. Amidst the chaos, many calls in the Auburn fandom have intensified, and their message is clear: fire Hugh Freeze.

Despite many Auburn fans being averse to the idea of another year with Coach Freeze, Auburn athletic director John Cohen told the media that he believes Freeze isn’t too far out of line, though he admits production isn’t where it should be.

"I don't know if I'm going to walk outside and my car is going to start or not, I think it is," Cohen said. "I have an expectation it will. But if my car doesn't start up enough, then I will evaluate that and make decisions about my car. But that's not my expectation at this point about our football program."

This analogy isn’t quite the vote of confidence many expected when Cohen said it wasn’t his expectation to fire Freeze, and, honestly, if Freeze is beginning to compare more to a car, it’s a Ford Pinto (google it if you have to). 

Cohen’s analogy makes sense at first glance, but when the stats shine through, one thing is clear: Freeze is stalling more than he’s starting. He’s 14-17 as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, meaning he’s only “starting” approximately 42% of the time. I’d get a new car if that was the case in my garage.  

Buyouts have been a theme of the season so far in college football, with Penn State recently doling out $50 million to its now ex-head coach, James Franklin. Freeze’s $15.4 million buyout, though paling in comparison, could severely harm the team’s ability to recruit with NIL, especially with Bryan Harsin’s buyout still putting a damper on the team’s bottom line.

Regardless of how the team wants to manage its finances, it’s clear that if Freeze loses this Saturday, he’s likely going to be spending a lot more time at Lake Martin this season, albeit with a $15.5 million check as a consolation prize.

Freeze’s must-win matchup this weekend will kick at 6:30 p.m. CDT, when the Missouri Tigers journey to the Plains for the Tigers’ fourth SEC game of the year.