"Hugh Freeze could be in trouble" - Josh Pate serves reality check to Auburn HC on his future after consecutive losing seasons

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has been at the helm for the Tigers for the past two seasons. In that time, he has failed to help them achieve a winning record. However, he has received a lot of leeway from fans because of the state the program was in after Bryan Harsin was fired in 2022.

On Thursday, college football analyst Josh Pate released a video discussing the coaches he thinks could be in trouble next season.

"I think Hugh Freeze is one of them at Auburn," Pate said (Timestamp 0:15). "I think he had time. I think the fan base there, while they're rabid and they want results, I think Auburn fans were pretty understanding of the Harsin effect.

"I mean, Hugh Freeze came in, and he just did not have a lot to work with. They went 6-7 the first year and didn't freak out. They went 5-7 last year, and they midly freaked out.

"Even now, they're totally willing to back him. They're totally aware that the talent profile is there. They've done a good job of bringing players in, both recruiting and through the portal. Last year, if you did nothing more than flip their turnover fortune, they had a could offense statistically. It's just that they shot themselves in the foot nine ways from Saturday."

Josh Pate then spoke about what he thinks Auburn needs to do for Hugh Freeze to keep his job after next season.

"If you flip the turnover luck, there's a shot they win eight or nine games this year," Pate said. "I think that's the range they need to be in. Anything less than that, and I think Hugh could be in trouble. I think he is well aware of that."

Hugh Freeze knows Auburn needs to make a bowl game next season

While fans have been understanding of Hugh Freeze's slow improvement of the program in his first two years, Freeze knows expectations are rising. He is aware that he no longer has the excuse of being a new head coach taking over a struggling program.

On the "Next Round Live" podcast on May 16, Freeze spoke about expectations heading into next season:

"I'm not a fool. I think we've got to go to a bowl game."

The Tigers are going through one of the worst stretches in their history. They have not qualified for a bowl game in two of the past three seasons and have not won a bowl game since 2018.