SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says Hugh Freeze has had 'plenty of opportunities for learning' since Ole Miss ouster

Speaking to media at a press conference ahead of the SEC Championship football game, league commissioner Greg Sankey was asked about Auburn’s decision to hire Hugh Freeze as the schools next football coach. Freeze was fired at Ole Miss in 2015 amid cascading scandals and had some more questionable moments as the Liberty head coach.

Sankey didn’t offer much by way of specifics, but said that he had spoken to Freeze on Thursday morning and seemed confident that the past was going to remain just that.

“I look from this point forward. We’re informed by peoples pasts. Hugh and I actually had an individual phone call earlier today, very positive. That’s not the first phone call he and I have had in the last five years. I appreciated the way he responded during his press conference. And I respect the fact that he and I, over the succeeding years since his departure from Ole Miss, could have candid and honest conversation,” Sankey said.

While it’s the purview of each individual school to find and hire their own head coaches, the league can prevent a coach from being hired via a show-cause order — this is what kept Freeze out of the SEC coaching ranks as an assistant for some time after his firing at Ole Miss.

But this time around, whatever obstacles prevent a hire in the past were not present. And Sankey said that Freeze has had ample opportunities to change for the better.

“He’s now the head coach at Auburn University. I wish them well, there’s a lot of work to do. And he kind of brought me up to speed on some of that this morning. And I’m confident there’s been plenty of opportunities for learning over the years and look forward to working with Hugh again,” Sankey said.