'Fortunate and blessed': Hugh Freeze delivers impassioned speech to Auburn's players during first team meeting

AUBURN — “This never easy on anybody, transitions. It’s really not. I’m going to speak to you from my heart, that’s the only way I know how to do it.”

That’s how Hugh Freeze began his first team meeting with the Auburn football team shortly after being hired on November 29. Freeze’s message and tenor with the team was clear. He desires to be open and honest about his life, in hopes to inspire vulnerability and belief in his players to trust him during this rebuilding process.

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Freeze profusely praised Carnell Williams for the job he and the coaching staff did for finishing the season with energy, passion and excitement. “I want to build on that,” he said.

And then Freeze dove into a message of encouragement and optimism towards the young men that will be the driving force in turning the Auburn football program around.

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Here’s what Hugh Freeze said to his team in full:

“I’m 53-years old and I’ve been through it all. Ups and downs, mountaintops and valleys, been through it all. I want you to know on the front end, we’re going to keep it 100 percent real with each other. I’m going to shoot you dead straight all the time.

I want to say this on the front end. The job that Cadillac and the staff did under his leadership finishing the season with the energy, passion, heart and drive that you played with, competed with, the fun you had, the excitement you had, it was so contagious and obvious. I applaud the heck out of you. It would have been easy, the easy road is not the best road, you all know that. It’s just hard sometimes to do it. The easy road is not the best road and the job you guys did under his leadership and with the staff was absolutely remarkable and I applaud you. I want to build on that.

This place deserves to be back in the SEC Championship game talk every year. That’s what we’re going to get to. Right now we’re in a little wilderness. That’s OK. I’ve been there before. Every program I’ve taken over has been in a little bit of wilderness and we’ve set the culture to change it. But here’s the deal: you have to chase the standard.

Football is the best training ground for life I’ve ever known. You can screw it up in the first quarter royally, turn it over, I’ve done that in life. I’m going to tell you when I got it right and when I got it wrong. I’ll tell you everything about me in time as we start sharing. I’ll tell you everything, because I want you to learn from the things I did right and the things that I did wrong. I want you to see it, get to know me and know my heart.

Ultimately, I’m here to create value for you while you’re with me and this staff. Did you hear that? I’m here to create value for you while you are with me. For the brief time in life that you’re with me, I have the opportunity given by God to influence in a way that helps create value for you as a player, as a husband, as a father, as a friend, as a worker, whatever it is. I will have a game plan for life for every single one of you in here. I need help with that. My strength coach will be involved, our position coaches will be involved, you’re going to love it, but you’re going to have to sign off on giving me the freedom to be the driving force behind your vision.

I’ll work tirelessly for you to make sure you feel like you are valued by Auburn University’s football office, and the administration.

We’ve had chances over the last four years to go to a lot of places, but none ever felt right. We’ve always circled something special about that place on the Plains. We fit there. When it came open, I started praying and hoping. I feel fortunate and blessed to get to serve you. Family, that’s what we’re going to be. We’re not there yet. I know the transition, I’ve been through these several times. Men, I promise you I will work every day to earn your trust. You do the same, and let’s see where it goes.”

You can watch Hugh Freeze’s full speech to the team at the beginning of the video below.