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Does Hugh Freeze feel additional pressure to win following Auburn basketball's success?

Justin Hokansonby:Justin Hokanson•04/10/25•

_JHokanson

Hugh Freeze (Photo by Auburn Athletics)
(Auburn Athletics)

AUBURN — During Auburn’s recent historic basketball season and run to the Final Four, head coach Bruce Pearl said despite basketball’s accomplishments, Auburn is still a “football school.”

Pearl has said similar things in the past. While he appreciates the love for his program, Pearl is always quick to support the football program, as well as other programs by saying, “Auburn is an everything school.”

On Thursday, Freeze was specifically asked about Pearl’s comments and if he felt any additional pressure to produce success on the football side and make the College Football Playoff, all while basketball has done the heavy lifting between the two major sports lately.

“I don’t give in to the pressure, I don’t feel a lot of pressure anymore in life. I know we’re doing it the right way and I know we’re building it the right way. And whatever the results come with that, I’ll have to live with,” Freeze said.

Since 2018, the basketball program has won three SEC regular season titles, two SEC Tournament titles, and now made two Final Fours. At the same time, football has not won more than eight games in a season and only has two winning conference records in the last seven.

To say the programs have been going in different directions is an understatement.

Pressure is always immense on the football coach and program. That pressure has only grown on then Gus Malzahn, followed by Bryan Harsin, and now Hugh Freeze during basketball’s rise among the nation’s elite.

“Obviously, we want to do exactly what you said. I think Bruce’s comments are just his belief in what Auburn can be. He’s proven that right in time,” Freeze said.

“I don’t know how long it took him to get his program where it is, but he certainly has. And the notoriety and brand recognition that he and his team brought to (football) certainly helps us. I appreciate his confidence.”

Pearl and basketball finished with a winning overall record in his third season, although some of those wins were later vacated. In Pearl’s fourth season, the Tigers won the SEC and returned to the NCAA Tournament after 15 years.

Before Pearl’s arrival, Auburn had one winning conference record in the last 13 years.

Freeze enters his third season at Auburn looking for his first winning season with the Tigers and hoping to improve on a 5-11 combined record in SEC play the last two years.

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