ESPN’s Dan Mullen is very familiar with new Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. The pair use to face each other when Mullen was at Mississippi State and Freeze was at Ole Miss.
Mullen weighed in on the plus and minuses of Auburn hiring Freeze as their head coach. While Mullen seems to think it was a good fit overall, there are still questions lingering about Freeze’s character.
Did @AuburnFootball make the right decision hiring Hugh Freeze?@CoachDanMullen gave his take on the hire on Full Ride. For more Full Ride, visit https://t.co/AhfabWZYb6. pic.twitter.com/le7rFZN5wH
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) December 2, 2022
“I think it’s interesting for them because it’s a different world in college football. I think, now, the issues he had with the NCAA and all the probation issues and that stuff, is kinda thrown out the window now with NIL,” Mullen said. “That stuff, apparently, is more legal now than it was with all the issues he had with the NCAA. I think it’s easier to look past all of that stuff.
“He does bring baggage. … I think if you’re an Auburn fan… he’s beaten Alabama, beat Nick Saban, and had success in the league and knows the league.”
The question for Freeze is, will his positives outweigh the negatives? While what Mullen said is true, will it translate to today’s players and their families?
NIL will play a huge part in his recruiting players but so will Freeze’s character and his past.
