'It's just a matter of time': Former Hugh Freeze receiver sees Auburn as a future championship contender

The Hugh Freeze era is on its way for Auburn football.

Auburn fans have already gotten an idea of what to expect in recruiting with some late flips in the 2023 class, a top 5 transfer portal class, and a some big wins so far in the 2024 class.

There is plenty of evidence of Freeze turning programs around. He brought both Ole Miss and Liberty up during his time at those schools.

What about when Freeze took over at Arkansas State in 2011? He took the Red Wolves from a 4-8 record as offensive coordinator to 10-3 as head coach the very next year.

One of his top players on that team, wide receiver Dwayne Frampton, still covets his time under Freeze. His son, class of 2027 athlete Hakim Frampton, has already received an offer from Auburn and Freeze. The bond between Frampton and Freeze is still going strong today.

[ California ATH Hakim Frampton has deep ties with Hugh Freeze, Auburn ]

Frampton spoke in-depth with Auburn Live about what Auburn fans can expect with Freeze in charge.

Dwayne Frampton at Arkansas State

Frampton was a play maker for Freeze’s offense at Arkansas State. In 2010, when Freeze was the offensive coordinator for the Red Wolves, Frampton had 69 catches, 738 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

In 2011, when Freeze went from offensive coordinator to head coach, Frampton had a huge uptick in stats. He recorded 94 catches, 1,156 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

One of those touchdown catches came in the 2010 season opener against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium, a place that Frampton remembers fondly.

via GIPHY

“My first collegiate football game at the division one level was against Auburn,” Frampton said. “I scored on them first. When Cam was there, I scored on them first. That’s when Steve Roberts was our head coach, still. When I came into that stadium, I was like wow, what it would feel like to play here. Wish I could have had the opportunity to play here. I was playing against Trovon Reed, Zac Etheridge, Neiko Thorpe, Josh Bynes, I was playing against some serious talent. I had their respect because I had about 8 catches for 74 yards, and a touchdown.”

“For them (Auburn) to be my son’s first scholarship, from the man that coached me in that same stadium–for me, it’s just nothing short of God’s work,” Frampton said. “That’s so ironic for my son to get a scholarship offer from the man who is now the head coach in that same stadium in which I played in.”

Frampton knew Freeze would be a head coach while he was an offensive coordinator

Frampton learned how to appreciate the game of football from Freeze.

“Man, my time with Pop (Freeze) was beautiful, I was blessed,” Frampton said. “He was the first coach I ever had change my mindset on the game of football and my approach. I learned how to be more appreciative. God says when you’re grateful, he gives you more, and that is what Freeze taught me. He has been my father-like figure ever since.”

Frampton knew when he met Freeze that he would be a head coach.

“Freeze got there 2010 when I got there. Clay Helton was my original offensive coordinator, he got the USC job. Then they brought Freeze in, I believe from Lambuth,” Frampton said. “He was the OC, but I knew he was going to be our head coach. Just the way Coach Steve Roberts allowed him to take the floor, how we just all bought into his system, bought into his beliefs, and bought into what it was that he was selling. We turned the tide from 4-8 to 10-3.”

Frampton still uses Freeze’s offensive philosophy to this day. In his opinion, there was no better offensive mind that he came across during his football career.

“I played slot receiver and on the outside,” Frampton said. “Freeze, the way he dissects, man he is a chemist when you sit on the board with him. His football knowledge is, in my opinion, second-to-none, especially offensively. He has this thing called the Talladega system where it’s just go, go, go. We bought into it so much to where we didn’t know anything else but to hurry up. He would either say Talladega or he would say Nascar. It’s just the system that I learned and now it is helping me bring that back to these kids that I’m coaching out here in Cali.”

He knows how to connect with people, first and foremost

Aside from football, Freeze had a unique approach with his football team. When it came to appreciating football, he first wanted his team to appreciate life. Frampton says he broke everything down to a specific science.

“Obviously, man, I don’t know how much people believe in God, but I do and he does,” Frampton said. “I promise you man, if I could write a book about it we should. The way he told us to be more appreciative for our opportunities. 95 percent of the team bought in to that saying: ‘Be grateful.’ When you were grateful you received more. We all just started to appreciate being able to have the legs to run around, the hands to catch the ball, the sight to see. Coach just broke it down to a science. Man, these things are a privilege that we are allowed to use. We all bought in man. I’m sure he did that at Liberty just as he did at Ole Miss. And, I’m sure he’s going to do that at Jordan-Hare Stadium.”

What, in Frampton’s opinion, made Freeze so great? Why does the relationship between the two mean so much to him years later?

“He’s a great head coach because he knows how to connect with people,” Frampton said. “He knows how to connect with his players, he is a player’s coach. Anybody who played for Freeze will love him. Yes, he is going to ride you when you’re messing up, that’s what his job is, but for the most part, he is a great man. Everybody is flawed, I’m sure there are a lot questions about what happened at Ole Miss and stuff like that, but the only man who should cast a stone is the one who hasn’t committed sin. Freeze, to me, is the epitome of a man that I would want my son to play college football for. I was blessed with the luxury to do so.”

What can Auburn fans expect from Freeze?

“What Auburn fans can expect from him, realistically, is for him to put everything on the line and to get them back to that national championship era. I highly doubt he won’t, I highly doubt he won’t, it’s just a matter of time,” Frampton said.