Greg McElroy places early pressure on Hugh Freeze at Auburn, lauds program's alignment

One prominent ESPN commentator believes the pressure on Hugh Freeze at Auburn is higher than in most places, but he also believes Freeze is uniquely positioned to succeed with the Tigers despite that pressure.

Speaking on the ESPN College Football YouTube channel, ESPN’s Greg McElroy said the pressure Freeze faces at Auburn right now on a 1-10 scale is about an eight, outlining a handful of reasons why.

“The pressure meter at Auburn is always going to be higher than seven,” McElroy said. “Doesn’t matter what the circumstances are. Even after Gus Malzahn was on the verge of winning the national championship in 2013, the pressure to repeat the performance was still exponentially higher than that of most other places. There’s a reason why since Nick Saban took over at Alabama Auburn has had five different coaches and they just gassed Bryan Harsin after just two seasons.

“This is a pressure-packed place. But I actually think the number is a little lower than it would be traditionally, that’s why I have Hugh Freeze at eight, because I think the alignment at Auburn has never been better.”

Many have talked about that alignment coming together in the post-Harsin era, as the Tigers struggled with getting on the same page to the detriment of its coaches several times in recent memory.

For whatever reason, Freeze’s hire had everyone coming around at the same time.

“Now I’ve been pretty close to that program for a long time,” McElroy said. “Have monitored that program, have relationships with people in that program, have relationships with past head coaches. And it always felt like there was a tug of war between the boosters, the administrators, the athletic directors and the head coach. There was always a tug of war for power. It doesn’t feel like that’s the case anymore.”

There are already numerous signs that the pressure on Hugh Freeze might be sustainable, with the right actions from the coach and his staff. Recruit right, win the games you’re supposed to, etc.

All of that helps tamp down the pressure meter.

“Hugh Freeze is already making a huge splash on the recruiting trail,” McElroy said. “Now, that’s for 2024 and beyond, but if you look at what he inherited this year, man, they did a really good job of going and fortifying the roster with some really solid Division I prospects that played other places and might ultimately be starters Day 1 there on the plays. I think Hugh Freeze is in a great spot. A great spot. He has great support. He has great access to NIL opportunities for his boosters and for his players. I think he totally has the support of everyone in the athletic department. I think the president is completely on board, and this is a place that is not that far removed from having big-time, big-time football.

“It feels like forever ago since Auburn was at their very best. I mean it’s been six or seven years since they were a real player on the national stage. But with a couple good recruiting classes, with Hugh Freeze’s understanding of the SEC, Hugh Freeze’s ability to reach the people that could support his program and reach the players that will ultimately choose his program, I think he’s in a terrific place.”

Just how quickly Auburn can respond on the field and start to turn down the pressure on Hugh Freeze remains to be seen. The expectations aren’t going to suddenly lower themselves just because the Tigers have been through a rough patch recently.

To that end, Freeze’s work in the transfer portal this offseason was key.

“Now I would say the roster this year I think they have a chance to be dangerous,” McElroy said. “Are they going to go and win 10 games? I don’t see it like that. I think this is going to be a gradual build. They’re going to have, if they get to seven or eight (wins) this year that is a terrific Year 1 for Hugh Freeze, especially knowing the depth of the SEC West.

“But then in Year 2 you get some of those young players that sign on the dotted line hopefully coming up this December, guys that spurned Georgia, guys that spurned Alabama, they’re now going to Auburn. If they can play roles, pivotal roles early in their career, could be ’24, could be ’25 when Auburn makes its national presence known. I think Hugh Freeze is the right guy at the right time for the Auburn Tigers. Now it’s about getting to the finish line on the recruiting trail and continuing to create the support and continuing to create the momentum that’s been created already in the first eight months of his tenure.”