SEC rival Hugh Freeze has candid reaction to Alabama HC Nick Saban's retirement plan: "Hard to express"

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is one of the many from the CFB world taken aback by his SEC rival and Alabama head coach Nick Saban's retirement. After spending four seasons with the Liberty Flames, Freeze took over as the 31st head coach of the Tigers ahead of the 2023 season.

And now, as Nick Saban closes his tenure of 17 years in Tuscaloosa, Hugh Freeze has come forward to express his gratitude for the 72-year-old coach. Despite being rivals on the field, Freeze and Saban had a good relationship off the field.

And in a recent tweet shared by Freeze on X, he talked about the positive bond that his family shared with the Sabans. He talked about the friendship that he and his wife Jill shared with Nick Saban and his wife Miss Terry and wished him a happy retirement ahead:

"Hard to express how much Nick and Ms Terri have meant to Jill and I as friends and you have forever set the mark for many to chase in this profession. Enjoy Retirement!!."

Because of spending just one season with Auburn before Saban's retirement, Hugh Freeze faced him just once on the gridiron. And it was during the 2023 campaign. Freeze lost the Iron Bowl to the Crimson Tide by a 27-24 scoreline. He finished his debut campaign with the team with a 6-7 overall record and a Music City Bowl loss to Maryland.

But over the course of their coaching career, the two met five times on the gridiron, with Saban securing a 5-2 lead over Hugh Freeze and ending his coaching career as the winner of this series. Both the wins for Freeze came during his Ole Miss tenure between 2012 and 2016.

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The relationship between Nick Saban and Hugh Freeze

Back in November last year, Nick Saban was questioned about his relationship with the new Auburn head coach. Saban responded by stating that despite being rivals on the field, the outcomes did not have a lasting impact on the bond he shared outside the gridiron with Freeze.

"I think you can have a relationship with somebody and still compete like crazy when you play against each other. But it's really not personal. The outcome of the game is really not personal. You're doing the best you can to get your team to play the best, and I respect that as a coach.

"We're going to do the best we can to get our team to play their best as a coach and hopefully people respect that. But at the end of the day, does it have to affect your relationship? I don't think so."

As Hugh Freeze continues his journey with Auburn, he will be facing a new foe as Alabama continues its hunt for Saban's successor.