Hugh Freeze names one thing he wants from Auburn amid hot seat rumors

The classic athletic director "vote of confidence" for an embattled head coach on the perceived hot seat is a college football staple, often not amounting to any real commitment in the end.

But here's a fresh twist on it -- the coach publicly saying he'd like such a statement from his AD.

That's what Auburn coach Hugh Freeze did Monday at his regular weekly press conference, as scrutiny mounts following four straight losses.

To be fair, Freeze was responding to a question about how the ADs at Florida State and Wisconsin had come out Monday with comments supporting their own maligned head coaches and what a similar statement from Auburn AD John Cohen would mean to him.

"It would be huge. That would make everyone feel a lot better for sure," Freeze responded. "I haven't talked to John. I'm going to say, John has been so supportive ever since, obviously, my hire, but I don't get too much into -- they have a job to do and certainly he has people he has to answer to."

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Freeze continued while making the case for why he should remain as Tigers head coach despite going 6-7 and 5-7 his first two years and now off to a 2-5 start in 2025, compiling a 5-14 SEC record overall so far.

"I know how close we are. I know I can get this fixed. We're too dang close, and we've got to get a little bit better play and a little bit better coaching at a few spots, and I want a chance to fix this," he said. "Obviously, I've totally gotten off of all social media, so I'm not sure what exactly was said in those other cases, but that's got to be reassuring to those people in there that they believe that they can get it fixed. But again, I've trusted John since I've been here to do the right things, and he's got to do what he feels is best for this program, of course.

"I think it's us. I think we fit Auburn. I think we fit the Auburn culture. I think the culture in the building has changed. I think the talent level has changed. Unfortunately, we just haven't gotten over the hump in a very difficult stretch of games, but I believe that's coming very, very soon."

What would a vote of confidence from AD John Cohen mean to Hugh Freeze?

"It would be huge. That would make everyone feel a lot better, for sure... I want a chance to fix this." pic.twitter.com/EujhY5qxUH
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) October 20, 2025

Freeze isn't wrong that Auburn has been close. This four-game losing streak has come against Oklahoma (24-17 on the road), Texas A&M (16-10 on the road), Georgia (20-10 at home) and Missouri (23-17 at home in overtime). All of those teams are currently ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll, and Auburn had a real chance in each of them.

The Tigers led 17-16 midway through the fourth quarter at Oklahoma before the Sooners scored nine unanswered points in the final 5 minutes to seize the game. It was a three-point game at Texas A&M early in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers didn't score again.

Auburn then led Georgia 10-0 late in the second quarter and would have been up 17-0 if not for a controversial goal-line fumble by QB Jackson Arnold as he attempted to dive into the end zone -- instead, the Bulldogs rallied with 20 unanswered points to win. And Auburn led 17-10 late in the fourth quarter this past week before Missouri tied it and won in overtime.

That said, Auburn isn't known for being patient with any coach.

Gus Malzahn was fired after eight straight winning seasons, and then Bryan Harsin was fired during his second season after a 6-7 debut and a 3-5 start the next year.