When you’re Hugh Freeze and the offense you built from scratch suddenly looks allergic to touchdowns, the critics begin to examine. The Tigers rank dead last in the SEC in passing yards per game, 15th in total yards, and 13th in points. For an offensive guru like the HC himself, that’s an indictment. But when your signature playbook stops clicking, do you change the plays or the person calling them?

Ahead of Auburn’s clash with Arkansas this Saturday, Hugh Freeze found himself fielding the question – “Would Hugh Freeze consider turning over the offense and being a CEO head coach?” The Barn’s X post on October 23 captured the moment perfectly. The HC’s response was classic Freeze – diplomatic but layered with self-awareness.

“Yeah, I think everything’s up to evaluate for sure. When I look at the schematics of what we’re doing, they’re good stuff,” said Freeze. “And it’s just getting the details right as coaches, better and demanding that they’re done properly.” This means the plays remain intact; the execution suffers.

Hugh Freeze’s first year at Auburn already saw one offensive coordinator bite the dust. Phillip Montgomery took the fall after just one season, replaced by longtime Freeze ally Derrick Nix, a move that was supposed to restore the magic of the Ole Miss days. Ole Miss even said in their parting note that Nix would be the full-time play caller. But as always with the Tigers HC, the lines blurred. Before the season began, he clarified that the play calling would be collaborative. So he still holds the joystick. He talks directly to the QB, finalizes calls, and signs off on everything that moves. And so far, not much has moved.

Last year, Auburn ranked 29th nationally in total yards per game. This season, they’re 109th. The turnovers went down, but so did the fireworks. Hugh Freeze isn’t one to panic mid-season, but he’s not blind either. “I don’t see that the schematics, you look at the first halves. Man, those are some good numbers you’re putting up,” he admitted.

“But we haven’t been consistent enough. And so I think you have to evaluate all of that at the end of the season.” Nothing’s off the table once December hits. And while he is busy rethinking the structure of his offense, the bigger dilemma might already be sitting under center.

Hugh Freeze speaks on QB quandary

Auburn’s attack has been a mess. The Tigers have stumbled to a 0-4 SEC start, and the QB situation hasn’t helped. Jackson Arnold, once the presumed face of the program, now looks more like a stopgap. Hugh Freeze is already hedging his bets with backup Ashton Daniels, the Stanford transfer he once planned to redshirt. Not anymore. “We’ll see how it plays out,” he said when asked who’d start against Arkansas. “I do think if we start to sputter, you have to see if we can get a spark. That’s kind of where we’re at.”

In Monday’s presser, Hugh Freeze doubled down. “We’re going to get he and Ashton a lot of reps and kind of see where it goes from there,” he said. “If we’re struggling to create positive vibes offensively because of QB play, we wouldn’t hesitate to try Ashton. I believe in him strongly.”

Jackson Arnold has shown flashes with 1,190 yards and five touchdowns to his credit, but the consistency isn’t there. Against Missouri, he completed 18 of 30 for 207 yards, yet converted just one third down longer than nine yards. He also threw his first pick and got sacked five times. Over time, Auburn managed negative yardage. 

Ashton Daniels, meanwhile, brings experience and mobility. In three seasons at Stanford, he threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. Freeze isn’t ruling out a shake-up. “We’re going to play to win with him,” he said. “He’s prepared to play the last few.”

Something’s about to give, whether a new play caller or QB. Because if Auburn’s offense keeps looking this lost, Hugh Freeze might not hold the clipboard much longer.