"He's well-liked by people at Auburn": Paul Finebaum believes Hugh Freeze is not on the hot seat ahead of the 2025 season

The 2025 college football season is a crucial one for Auburn coach Hugh Freeze. Since arriving in 2023, Freeze has yet to meet the program’s lofty expectations. Entering the upcoming season, he finds himself on the hot seat as fans anticipate a turnaround.

However, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum doesn’t believe Freeze’s job is in jeopardy, despite his 11-14 (5-11 SEC) record at Auburn. When asked on The Paul Finebaum Show whether UNLV head coach Dan Mullen could eventually replace Freeze, Finebaum dismissed the notion outright.

"I don't think Hugh Freeze is really in that dire of shape," Finebaum said (per Athlon Sports). "He's well-liked by people at Auburn. He has support where it really matters."

"It's pretty underwhelming and I think a lot of mistakes have been made, but Auburn has gone out there and brought him a lot of really good players. Many people believe that Auburn will bounce back."

Still, given that his predecessor, Bryan Harsin, was fired in his second season after posting a 9-12 record, another losing campaign could put Freeze’s job in serious jeopardy. Despite Finebaum’s claim that Freeze is well-supported, expectations remain high.

Auburn has made a significant investment in its program this offseason to help Freeze turn things around. The Tigers brought in key players from the transfer portal and assembled a top-10 recruiting class for 2025.

Hugh Freeze encounters crucial health challenges ahead of the 2025 season

In February, Auburn announced that Hugh Freeze has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. While this could have been a major setback for the coach and the program, doctors detected the disease in its early stages, allowing him to continue his coaching duties.

"Recently, Coach Freeze was diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer," the school's statement said. "Thankfully, it was detected early and his doctors have advised that it is very treatable and curable.

“He will continue his normal coaching duties and responsibilities, and with forthcoming proper treatment, is expected to make a full recovery.”

Despite his health concerns, Freeze remains focused on making Auburn more competitive in 2025. The addition of quarterback Jackson Arnold, wide receivers Eric Singleton Jr. and Horatio Fields, and several other key players is expected to help improve the team’s record.