Paul Finebaum on Hugh Freeze, Auburn relationship: ‘He doesn’t really look like he wants to be there’

Auburn’s loss to Cal over the weekend has Paul Finebaum wondering where Hugh Freeze stands with the Tigers at the moment.

During the latest episode of Always College Football with Greg McElroy, Finebaum joined the program to evaluate where Auburn goes from here, after a demoralizing loss to the Golden Bears, as the ESPN analyst wondered whether something is amiss with Freeze and the Tigers.

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“They should be real,” Finebaum said, regarding the concerns about the uneven nature of Auburn’s play. “For all the good things you can say about this program off the field, the on-field performance lately has been terrible. You go back to New Mexico State, and then the 4th and 31, the complete no show against Maryland, and now this. I didn’t see any way they could lose to Cal. Now, that’s not showing any respect for any part of the Cal program, but that’s just a gut response. When somebody said, ‘Hey, you think Cal can beat Auburn?’ The answer is no, and they did.

“You know, since then, Hugh Freeze, really, everything he’s saying is being interpreted. Is he blaming his players? Because he doesn’t seem to be taking too much blame. I realize every coach mouths the words, but sometimes you know when they really mean it or not. So, he gambled on Payton Thorne. That’s his decision. That’s his guy. He’s going to ride with him. This is not the same situation as [Billy] Napier. Nobody’s firing Hugh Freeze, at least yet. So where this season goes will determine what the off-season looks like.

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“I do know, and you know, because you spent a lot of time in Alabama, the boys that gave him the job are capable of taking it away if he doesn’t start performing. It is pretty shocking though to see.”

While Finebaum certainly hasn’t been impressed with Freeze’s recent performance, the shocking thing he’s seen is Freeze’s demeanor, as the ESPN analyst actually accused the Auburn head coach of not even wanting to be the leader of the Tigers due to his poor demeanor.

“Auburn chairs are very proud. They take pride in what that football team puts on the field, even in defeat, as painful as that can be. They don’t take pride in what we saw Saturday, and what we saw in the other games that we’ve referenced,” Finebaum added. “So, I think there’s a disconnect right now, and this is coming after a reboot. I mean, there aren’t a lot of familiar faces on that coaching staff from a year ago, and some of that is baked into the cake. You get the job and people are in your ear, ‘Hey, we really, we need you to keep this guy.’ I much prefer the coach to wipe the place out. … So, I think he’s made some mistakes. His demeanor isn’t great either.

“I’ve been around Hugh Freeze once or twice down there in interviews, he doesn’t really look like he wants to be there. I know that sounds like a bold statement, but I mean, there’s something going on with him. I mean, at least act like you want the job. I mean, show some emotion. Brian Kelly, for all the theatrics of punching the table, at least it looked like he cared. I mean, there are times when I don’t really know what Hugh Freezes is up to.

“Looks like he’s, ‘Okay. I got the job I’ve always wanted. I was able to bounce back from the disaster at Ole Miss. I got the Liberty job. I made the most of it until I mailed it in the last few weeks. Now, I’ve got Auburn and is this really what I want?’ I know that sounds like I’m out in left field, but that’s my impression of being around Hugh Freeze.”

Alas, it seems like Paul Finebaum believes there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers. Time will tell if they can right the ship, or if an ugly season is on the way for the program in 2024.