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Hugh Freeze
September 25, 2024 By  Auburn Tigers, College Football

Auburn Football: Fans Explode After Lane Kiffin Rips Tigers HC Hugh Freeze For Attempting to ‘Steal’ Coaches – Week 5

The Auburn football program has had a rough past 96 hours. Last Saturday, the Auburn Tigers dropped their SEC home opener against the Arkansas Razorbacks 24-14, with the quarterback duo of Hank Brown and Payton Thorne tossing four interceptions. Following the game, head coach Hugh Freeze made a bevy of compelling comments, taking shots at the quarterback tandem for poorly executing the offensive playcalling while also stating that they would beat Arkansas “nine of the next nine times.” Earlier this week, Arkansas fired back at Freeze through the football program’s Twitter account. At the same time, former Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace, a former starter under Freeze, ripped the bench boss for failing to take accountability.

On Wednesday, Freeze hit the podium, praising Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin for his contributions surrounding NIL. Kiffin turned around and threw shade at Freeze, claiming he attempted to “steal” coaches from his program in recent memory. Fans quickly took to social media, taking sides over the verbal jousting match between the two SEC head coaches.

Lane Kiffin Questions Auburn Football HC Hugh Freeze

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Sep 21, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin being interviewed before the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

During the SEC Coaches Teleconference on Wednesday, Ole Miss Rebels bench boss Lane Kiffin responded to the complements bestowed on his program from Auburn football’s Hugh Freeze:

“That is nice of Coach Freeze to compliment our management of our collective,” Kiffin said. “I’m sure he’ll try to steal Walker Jones like he’s tried all of our coaches also.”

Freeze praised his former program, Ole Miss, for their role in utilizing an NIL collective. However, Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin took the compliment with a grain of salt, calling out Freeze for attempting to steal coaches in the past. He even suggested Freeze would try to steer Ole Miss NIL representative Walker Jones towards Auburn football.

Kiffin is in his fifth year with the Rebels, posting a 38-15 record while entering this weekend as the fifth-ranked team in the nation per the AP Poll Top 25. Meanwhile, Freeze coached Ole Miss from 2012 to 2016, going 39-25, highlighted by a Sugar Bowl win in 2015. Kiffin’s response on Wednesday drew the attention of college football fans, many quick to also bash Freeze while others took the side of Auburn football:

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Alvin Henderson is on a recruiting trip to Auburn Football. PHOTO: On3 Sports (Auburn Tigers news Auburn) (Auburn Tigers in the NFL Auburn)

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About Alec Musa

Alec is a sports writer and former college/high school football coach from Phoenix, Arizona. Before taking on his current role at Gridiron Heroics, Alec worked for Sportskeeda in the same role. He covers the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Florida State Seminoles, and Michigan Wolverines.

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