Auburn hires Hugh Freeze as football coach

Former Ole Miss, Liberty coach brings winning pedigree, but also baggage

AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn has hired Hugh Freeze as its next football coach, the university announced Monday following the end of its 2022 season.

Upside on the field, risk off it

Freeze brings a winning pedigree to Auburn, having led Ole Miss to a 39-25 record and three bowl wins in five seasons before being fired in 2017 for personal misconduct. He also led Liberty to a 34-15 record and two bowl wins in four seasons.

However, Freeze also comes with baggage. He was fired from Ole Miss after an NCAA investigation found that he had misled investigators about his knowledge of NCAA violations within the football program. He was also accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women while at Ole Miss and Liberty.

Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement that he is "confident that Hugh Freeze is the right man to lead our football program." He said that Freeze has "a proven track record of success on the field" and that he is "committed to building a program that will make the Auburn family proud."

Freeze said in a statement that he is "honored and humbled" to be the head coach at Auburn. He said that he is "excited about the opportunity to lead this program to new heights" and that he is "committed to building a championship program with integrity and class."

Freeze's hiring is a gamble for Auburn. He is a proven winner on the field, but he also comes with a checkered past off it. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to succeed at Auburn without bringing the same baggage that led to his downfall at Ole Miss.

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