The temperature on The Plains? Scorching. But not from the sun. That heat’s coming straight from Hugh Freeze’s office chair. After two straight seasons of mediocre football and -500. record, Freeze enters 2025 not just on the hot seat, but practically sitting on lava. His first two seasons? 6–7 and 5–7. Two straight losing years. And not a single bowl trophy in sight. The man who was once supposed to resurrect Auburn football like Lazarus has turned it into a whole lot of question marks. Now, Auburn fans aren’t just tapping their watches—they’re banging on the glass.

On July 6, Josh Pate hopped onto his podcast and went off against Hugh Freeze: “I feel like some teams are really on the clock this year. Not all of them like, ‘Oh, you better win or you’re going to lose your job.’ Although some of these are—maybe the first one, who knows? But I feel like some of these teams are just on the clock. I really feel like Auburn is on the clock this year. I really feel like Hugh Freeze got there, and to Auburn fans’ credit, I thought they had as much patience as any fan base would have with a head coach in major college football—SEC football—’cause they understood the cupboard was sort of bare.”

Freeze’s career record took a nosedive after landing at Auburn. Once boasting a 65.8% win rate, he’s now sitting at 44% with an 11–14 record at AU. That’s brutal math for a guy who was sold as a fixer. Even his claim to fame—the 2014 upset over Bama—feels like ancient history now. Freeze enters 2025 hanging on by a thread. He’s the first Auburn coach in 50 years to survive back-to-back losing seasons and still get a third crack at it. That’s not a vote of confidence—it’s a sign Auburn couldn’t find a better option.

Of course, there are reasons for the slow start. Freeze didn’t inherit a loaded roster. It wasn’t Alabama’s machine or Georgia’s luxury dealership. “Hugh Freeze did not inherit some turnkey, ready-made winner. He didn’t get what Kalen DeBoer got handed to him. He didn’t get what Ryan Day got handed to him. So there was a lot of understanding, even in year two—still some understanding.” But college football doesn’t care. This is the SEC. You get two years to figure it out. Year three is judgment day. Vegas set Auburn’s 2025 win total at 7.5. That’s the Mendoza Line for Freeze. Go over, and you survive. Fall short? Never mind.

The key to everything? Jackson Arnold. The five-star transfer QB might be the best raw talent Freeze has had since Malik Willis. And boy, does he need Arnold to hit. “It’s just a roll of the dice on Jackson Arnold,” Pate warned. “That’s the long and short of it.” Auburn fans know it, too. They’ve seen what elite quarterback play can do. If Arnold doesn’t shine—or worse, if he gets hurt—Freeze’s playbook could go up in flames.

Analytics paint a mixed picture. ESPN’s SP+ model pegs the Tigers at 6.9 wins on average. Not exactly inspiring. But others, like Paul Finebaum and Greg McElroy, believe Auburn could surprise folks with an 8–9 win season. And to be fair, Freeze has landed back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes. He’s been building the foundation. But now it’s time to see if the house holds.

While fans were calling for his head, Freeze is on social media swinging clubs and posting tee times. And guess who took notice? None other than Lane Kiffin.

Lane Kiffin mocks Hugh Freeze’s recruiting woes

The Ole Miss head coach recently took aim at his old rival’s offseason hobby—golf—with a savage jab that had fans eating popcorn. On May 19, Freeze posted a congratulatory message about a golf championship. Kiffin didn’t miss. He replied: “Great job Coach!! Game is on 🔥.” Translation? Freeze is out here flexing his short game while Auburn’s recruiting class is free-falling like crypto in a bear market. And the numbers back it up. Auburn is dead last in the SEC for the 2026 cycle. That’s right—last. They’re hovering somewhere around No. 86 nationally. And as of mid-July? Just six commits. Meanwhile, Georgia, Alabama, and even Missouri are stacking blue-chippers like pancakes.

And the decommits and lost trails? Four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle flipped to Georgia. Four-star WRs Devin Carter and Denairius Gray bolted to FSU and Kentucky, respectively. Even five-star QB Jared Curtis ghosted Auburn completely—he’s off to Georgia. Freeze admitted, “It’s hard to feel great” about the slow start. He’s hoping a strong 2025 season can turn the tide, but that’s a dangerous bet. Relationships in recruiting fade fast. What was once a top-10 haul now looks like it got mugged in a dark alley.

CBS Sports dropped a “recruiting panic index” recently, and Auburn scored a 4 out of 5. Lane Kiffin saw the opening and pounced. And it wasn’t just shade for fun—it was strategic. Ole Miss, currently 10th in the SEC and No. 37 overall, is trying to close the gap. Every flip, every troll tweet—it all counts.

Kiffin’s trolling may be petty, but in this league? Petty wins. Perception matters, and right now, Freeze looks like a coach with no grip on his locker room or recruiting board. That’s blood in the water. And Lane Kiffin is a shark. If Hugh Freeze wants to quiet the noise, it’s simple. Win.