AJ McCarron: 'Hugh Freeze is full of sh*t' after House settlement, recruiting comments

As he evaluated the recruiting landscape last week, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said the Tigers were working within the parameters of the House v. NCAA settlement while hinting others might not be. Those comments didn’t sit well with former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron.

McCarron called Freeze out for the remarks, arguing the pressure is starting to ramp up. Auburn has struggled on the recruiting trail through the 2026 cycle, though Freeze expressed confidence things would turn around.

McCarron argued Freeze was making excuses for the rough go. He also pointed out the up-and-down nature of the first two seasons of his tenure on The Plains.

The below video contains NSFW language.

"I think Hugh Freeze is trying to do whatever he can to save face."

Last week, Freeze suggested Auburn is playing by the House settlement rules while others aren't. @10AJMcCarron isn't buying it.#RollTide pic.twitter.com/PSSft61dQu

— TheDynastyBAMA (@TheDynastyBAMA) July 9, 2025

“Hugh Freeze is full of shit,” McCarron said on The Dynasty podcast. “I think Hugh Freeze is trying to do whatever he can to save face. He’s starting to feel pressure at Auburn – going into his third year, not having the success that the alumni, the boosters, everybody donating a lot of money thought he would have by this point. I think he’s trying to figure out and scramble on why they are not successful.”

With the $20.5 million cap in place under the House v. NCAA settlement, Freeze said Auburn had to worry about retaining players on the roster rather than signing a larger high school class. He added the Tigers are following their interpretation of the settlement as they focus on retention, particularly at positions such as wide receiver.

Despite back-to-back Top-10 classes after Freeze took over, ranking No. 8 in the nation each year, Auburn’s recruiting class ranks outside the Top 70 from the 2026 cycle. All the while, Alabama has a Top-5 group headlined by five five-stars. McCarron further argued the Crimson Tide’s higher standing in the state, which he said likely further increases the pressure on Freeze.

“The state of Alabama is ran by Alabama fans, Alabama alumni,” McCarron said. “Whether you like it or not – and I’ve never been one to just absolutely hate on Auburn. Hell, I’ve caught hell from Alabama fans for cheering for some of my friends that played at Auburn. If you are from the state of Alabama, I think it is dumb for you not to sing with the University of Alabama. Your avenue for success with life after football is a lot greater – bigger, however you want to describe it – I think, with being an ex-Alabama football player compared to Auburn.”