A school teaching agent just lately put it greatest when discussing Auburn, a program that gained the nationwide title in 2010 and performed for one more three years, but in addition one which has fluctuated sharply in efficiency and endured greater than its share of dysfunction.
“There’s something in regards to the place that has an unimaginable draw, as a result of what it may be,” the agent stated. “There may be all the time a window the place you’ll be able to justify taking Auburn.”
For Hugh Freeze, the Auburn job was a no brainer. An opportunity to return to the SEC, flex his recruiting prowess and ideally compete for Faculty Soccer Playoff spots. Whereas the Freeze rent was controversial, it made sense from a soccer and “match” standpoint. Freeze had elevated Ole Miss in efficiency and recruiting, and twice beat Nick Saban’s Alabama groups at a time when virtually nobody else did.
However Freeze may by no means discover the magic on the Plains that he did in Oxford. Regardless of overseeing an Auburn program set as much as compete within the NIL/portal period, he by no means gained greater than six video games in a season and could not spark the offense like he had in Oxford. Freeze was fired Sunday following a loss to Kentucky. Freeze went 15-19 in two-plus seasons.
The SEC is arguably as deep as ever, however Auburn now not has to fret about Nick Saban in the identical state. Auburn nonetheless has loads of benefits, specifically its location and a fan/donor base hungry to enhance.
Here is a take a look at who could lead on this system subsequent and the way Auburn handles one other teaching transition. — Adam Rittenberg
Candidates | Transfers | Recruits
5 candidates for the job
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall: He is arguably the most popular identify exterior of the Energy 4 and may have alternatives to guide higher-profile applications quickly, particularly within the SEC. Whereas Sumrall may match at Arkansas and different potential SEC openings, there are some pure ties to Auburn for the native of Huntsville, Alabama. Sumrall, 43, has already gained within the state as a head coach at Troy, going 23-4 with consecutive Solar Belt championships. He is 15-7 at Tulane and will have the staff positioned for a Faculty Soccer Playoff berth. Sumrall performed within the SEC at Kentucky and coached within the league at each Kentucky and Ole Miss. He would convey a toughness and depth, mixed with an aggressive strategy in personnel, to the Auburn program.
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key: There’s rather a lot to love about Key, particularly for an Auburn program in search of a breakthrough within the SEC. Key can win the massive sport, as he has proven with a 7-1 report towards ranked opponents within the ACC. Georgia Tech, Key’s alma mater, has grown from a pest right into a CFP contender this fall, sitting at 8-1 and within the race for the ACC title sport. Key additionally has direct connections to the state and to the SEC, rising up close to Birmingham, Alabama, and training the offensive line for Nick Saban’s Alabama groups from 2016 to 2018. The 47-year-old has recruited the area all through his profession, particularly the Atlanta space that Auburn depends on to fill out its roster. Key would convey a tough-minded strategy to Auburn and a philosophy based mostly on operating the ball. Plus, he may nonetheless stick it to Georgia.
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz: Even after failing to land Lane Kiffin final time round, Auburn could be silly to not assess whether or not any sitting SEC coaches have curiosity within the job. Drinkwitz, 42, has completed unimaginable work at Missouri, profitable 21 video games over the previous two seasons with a Cotton Bowl championship and a No. 8 end in 2023. He has Missouri at 44-25 and just lately beat Auburn in time beyond regulation. Missouri has elevated its funding in soccer and Drinkwitz enjoys Columbia, however this system traditionally hasn’t competed persistently on the prime of the game. Drinkwitz must be on the radar for Florida and certain would view the Gators as a greater alternative. However Auburn has potential, too, particularly for a dynamic offensive-minded coach who has confirmed himself within the SEC.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea: The remainder of the SEC — the remainder of the nation, for that matter — is taking discover of Lea and what he is doing at Vanderbilt. Lea has modified the vibe at his alma mater, historically an SEC/Energy 4 doormat, by bringing in quarterback Diego Pavia and others from New Mexico State. Vanderbilt is off to its greatest begin (7-2) since 1950 and earned its first AP top-10 rating since 1947. The Commodores are within the combine for a once-unthinkable CFP look, which paradoxically may hold Lea out of candidate swimming pools as faculties will need to fill these roles. Lea, 43, is not seeking to run away from Vanderbilt however doubtless understands that it is going to be simpler to persistently contend elsewhere, and Auburn provides these sources.
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann: Most applications of Auburn’s caliber search prior head-coaching expertise of their searches. However rival Georgia has thrived with a first-time head coach in Kirby Sensible, and Sensible’s final defensive coordinator, Dan Lanning, is understanding fairly nicely in his first head-coaching gig at Oregon. Schumann is actually seen in an analogous mild and has surfaced in latest teaching searches like North Carolina’s final yr. He has spent his whole profession at Alabama, his alma mater, working underneath Nick Saban in varied roles, earlier than becoming a member of Sensible at Georgia. Schumann is barely 35 and would want to develop into the function, however he has seen how one of the best SEC applications operate and will convey that strategy to the Plains. — Rittenberg
5 necessary gamers to retain
WR Cam Coleman: If Coleman decides to enter the switch portal, he might be a type of uncommon non-quarterbacks incomes greater than $2 million subsequent season. That is how coveted the gifted 6-foot-3, 201-pound wideout could be on the open market. The No. 5 total recruit within the 2024 ESPN 300 has caught 74 passes for 1,072 yards and 11 touchdowns over his two seasons on the Plains and has emerged as one of many SEC’s prime big-play threats with 12 profession catches of 30-plus yards. Coleman may have two extra seasons of eligibility, however there’s little doubt he’ll be thought of a prime draft prospect getting into his junior season.
LB Xavier Atkins: After enjoying sparingly throughout his freshman yr at LSU, Atkins transferred to Auburn this offseason and proved he was able to tackle a beginning function at exterior linebacker. The 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore leads the Tigers with 69 tackles and has racked up 14 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, in addition to an interception towards Texas A&M that he returned 73 yards.
CB Jay Crawford: Crawford has began 12 video games over his two seasons at Auburn and had a team-high eight cross breakups as a real freshman starter within the SEC final season. This yr, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound cowl man has allowed simply 80 passing yards and no touchdowns and one interception by his first seven video games. The Tigers ought to have one of many prime cornerback duos within the convention in 2026 if Crawford and junior Kayin Lee elect to return.
RB Jeremiah Cobb: Cobb noticed restricted carries in his first two seasons with the Tigers however is having fun with a breakout junior season. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound again ranks fourth within the SEC in speeding with 789 yards and 4 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry. Cobb has produced 4 100-yard speeding performances, together with a career-high, 153-yard day towards Arkansas, and led the convention in speeding yards earlier than contact (319) getting into Week 10, per ESPN Analysis. He may also add worth within the return sport and ranked third within the SEC in kickoff return yards (444) final season.
DL Malik Blocton: Here is one other sophomore who Auburn would like to convey again subsequent season. The Tigers have a ton of promising expertise to construct round from their top-10 recruiting class in 2024, and these gamers may have no scarcity of choices in the event that they hit the portal. Blocton, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound drive up entrance, has eight profession tackles for loss and is beginning to show he can deal with an even bigger workload in his second yr with a career-high 43 snaps towards Texas A&M. — Max Olson
Three key recruits
S Bralan Womack, No. 32 in ESPN 300: The Tigers capped a powerful late-summer recruiting run when ESPN’s No. 3 security picked Auburn over Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M on Aug. 21. On the time, Womack instructed ESPN that his choice was influenced closely by his relationships with Tigers defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and T.J. Speeding, each of whom may quickly comply with Freeze out of this system. Household ties — Womack’s older sister is a junior on Auburn’s softball staff — do stay for the top-35 defender from Flowood, Mississippi. However Womack’s Week 9 go to to LSU was notable, and Freeze’s departure decidedly opens the door for summer time finalists Ohio State and Texas A&M whereas others, together with in-state Ole Miss, may quickly enter the combo.
OLB Jaquez Wilkes, No. 125 in ESPN 300: Auburn signed one ESPN 300 linebacker within the 2025 class, and even after the Tigers flipped four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle again into its 2026 class from Georgia on Oct. 14, Wilkes stays one of many vital prongs of this system’s post-Freeze recruiting technique. Florida State, Miami and Texas A&M have been the main runners-up for ESPN’s No. 9 exterior linebacker in the summertime, and with all three applications nonetheless focusing on 2026 linebackers this fall, Auburn is more likely to face loads of competitors to hold onto their second-ranked pledge.
WR Jase Mathews, No. 235 in ESPN 300: The Tigers are loaded on the extensive receiver place … for now. If the likes of Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr. and Malcolm Simmons hit the portal, Auburn will particularly need to make sure that it retains Matthews — this system’s lone extensive receiver commit in 2026 — within the fold. The ACL tear that ended Matthews’ senior season final month may probably tamp down flip curiosity within the 6-foot-2 cross catcher from Leakesville, Mississippi. However Ole Miss and Texas A&M are not less than two of the applications nonetheless pursuing Matthews, who has the dimensions and expertise to be a Day 1 contributor wherever he lands, if wholesome. — Eli Lederman