Hugh Freeze on facing Nick Saban, Alabama: 'I hope they're a little nervous today'

As Hugh Freeze takes over the Auburn Tigers this week, he also inherits one of the most bitter rivalries in all of college football. At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, the former Liberty head coach responded to questions about the Auburn-Alabama rivalry and how he feels about facing Nick Saban on a regular basis.

“Well, you don’t take this job if you’re not built to want that. And I welcome that, I want it. I want to be in that arena. I really, really, really enjoy that type of game,” Freeze said. “I have great respect for Nick. He and Mrs. Terry have been great friends to us too, but I hope they’re a little nervous today.”

Freeze’s response sends a strong message to Auburn fans about his approach to big moments. He also discussed mental toughness at length and how it’s played a role in his life since losing his job at Ole Miss.

“I don’t fear much in life, and I don’t believe our team will either,” Freeze said.

Although the Tigers haven’t beaten Alabama in the last three seasons, their new head coach is one among very few active coaches who have beaten Nick Saban.

In five meetings between the two teams during Freeze’s tenure with the Rebels, his squad came out victorious twice. He beat Alabama in 2014, which ended a decade-long streak for Ole Miss, and then did it again in 2015, this time on the road. The Rebels haven’t beaten the Crimson Tide again since, which Lane Kiffin is acutely aware of.

Freeze to Cadillac Williams: ‘You’re invaluable’

Hugh Freeze announced his first move as head coach at Auburn at Tuesday’s introductory press conference when he promoted interim head coach Cadillac Williams to serve as his associate head coach.

It was a move that will appease the War Eagle fan base, but it was also an “invaluable” addition for him personally as he begins the process of turning around the struggling SEC program.

Freeze described how he pitched the new role to Williams, who he claimed he would have begged to stay on if it came down to it.

“I think the words I used last night to him, I don’t know if I had to plead and beg but I was planning to, the words were ‘you’re invaluable,’ ‘I need your wisdom,’ ‘I need you to tell me about the players, about the building, about who is vital to getting this program back to winning championships,’ Freeze said. “I think the word was ‘invaluable,’ I don’t know if I can describe it any better than that.”

The new Tigers skipper described how key it was for him to have an inside source on his team as he puts into place plans for each and every player on the team. He also called Williams’ 2-2 coaching job to end the regular season, one of the best he has ever seen in terms of leadership.