Hugh Freeze out at Auburn: Top candidates, transfers and recruits

A college coaching agent recently put it best when discussing Auburn, a program that won the national title in 2010 and played for another three years later, but also has fluctuated sharply in performance and endured more than its share of dysfunction.

"There is something about the place that has an incredible draw, because you know what it can be," the agent said. "There is always a window where you can justify taking Auburn."

For Hugh Freeze, the Auburn job was a no-brainer. A chance to return to the SEC, flex his recruiting prowess and ideally compete for College Football Playoff spots. While the Freeze hire was controversial, it made sense from a football and "fit" standpoint. Freeze had elevated Ole Miss in performance and recruiting, and twice beat Nick Saban's Alabama teams at a time when practically no one else did.

But Freeze could never find the magic on the Plains that he did in Oxford. Despite overseeing an Auburn program set up to compete in the NIL/portal era, he never won more than six games in a season and couldn't 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, but Auburn no longer has to worry about Nick Saban in the same state. Auburn still has plenty of advantages, namely its location and a fan/donor base hungry to improve.

Here's a look at who could lead the program next, and how Auburn handles another coaching transition. -- Adam Rittenberg

Candidates | Transfers | Recruits

Five candidates for the job

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall: He's arguably the hottest name outside of the Power 4, and will have opportunities to lead higher-profile programs soon, especially in the SEC. While Sumrall could fit at Arkansas and other potential SEC openings, there are some natural ties to Auburn for the native of Huntsville, Alabama. Sumrall, 43, has already won in the state as a head coach at Troy, going 23-4 with consecutive Sun Belt championships. He's 15-7 at Tulane and could have the team positioned for a College Football Playoff berth. Sumrall played in the SEC at Kentucky and coached in the league at both Kentucky and Ole Miss. He would bring a toughness and intensity, combined with an aggressive approach in personnel, to the Auburn program.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key: There's a lot to like about Key, especially for an Auburn program seeking a breakthrough in the SEC. Key can win the big game, as he has shown with a 7-1 record against ranked opponents in the ACC. Georgia Tech, Key's alma mater, has grown from a pest into a CFP contender this fall, sitting at 8-1 and in the race for the ACC title game. Key also has direct connections to the state and to the SEC, growing up near Birmingham, Alabama, and coaching the offensive line for Nick Saban's Alabama teams from 2016 to 2018. The 47-year-old has recruited the region throughout his career, especially the Atlanta area that Auburn relies upon to fill out its roster. Key would bring a tough-minded approach to Auburn and a philosophy based around running the ball. Plus, he could still stick it to Georgia.

Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz: Even after failing to land Lane Kiffin last time around, Auburn would be foolish not to assess whether any sitting SEC coaches have interest in the job. Drinkwitz, 42, has done incredible work at Missouri, winning 21 games over the past two seasons with a Cotton Bowl championship and a No. 8 finish in 2023. He has Missouri at 44-25 and recently beat Auburn in overtime. Missouri has increased its investment in football and Drinkwitz enjoys Columbia, but the program historically hasn't competed consistently at the top of the sport. Drinkwitz should be on the radar for Florida and likely would view the Gators as a better opportunity. But Auburn has potential, too, especially for a dynamic offensive-minded coach who has proven himself in the SEC.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea: The rest of the SEC -- the rest of the country, for that matter -- is taking notice of Lea and what he's doing at Vanderbilt. Lea has changed the vibe at his alma mater, traditionally an SEC/Power 4 doormat, by bringing in quarterback Diego Pavia and others from New Mexico State. Vanderbilt is off to its best start (7-2) since 1950 and earned its first AP top-10 ranking since 1947. The Commodores are in the mix for a once-unthinkable CFP appearance, which ironically could keep Lea out of candidate pools as schools will want to fill those roles. Lea, 43, isn't looking to run away from Vanderbilt, but likely understands that it will be easier to consistently contend elsewhere, and Auburn offers those resources.

Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann: Most programs of Auburn's caliber seek prior head-coaching experience in their searches. But rival Georgia has thrived with a first-time head coach in Kirby Smart, and Smart's last defensive coordinator, Dan Lanning, is working out quite well in his first head-coaching gig at Oregon. Schumann is certainly viewed in a similar light, and has surfaced in recent coaching searches like North Carolina's last year. He has spent his entire career at Alabama, his alma mater, working under Nick Saban in various roles, before joining Smart at Georgia. Schumann is only 35 and would need to grow into the role, but he has seen how the best SEC programs function and could bring that approach to the Plains. -- Rittenberg

Five important players to retain

WR Cam Coleman: If Coleman decides to enter the transfer portal, he could be one of those rare non-quarterbacks earning more than $2 million next season. That's how coveted the talented 6-foot-3, 201-pound wideout would be on the open market. The No. 5 overall recruit in 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 the SEC's top big-play threats with 12 career catches of 30-plus yards. Coleman will have two more seasons of eligibility, but there's little doubt he'll be considered a top draft prospect entering his junior season.

LB Xavier Atkins: After playing sparingly during his freshman year at LSU, Atkins transferred to Auburn this offseason and proved he was ready to take on a starting role at outside linebacker. The 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore leads the Tigers with 69 tackles and has racked up 14 tackles for loss and five sacks as well as an interception against Texas A&M that he returned 73 yards.

CB Jay Crawford: Crawford has started 12 games over his two seasons at Auburn and had a team-high eight pass breakups as a true freshman starter in the SEC last season. This year, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound cover man has allowed just 80 passing yards and no touchdowns and one interception through his first seven games. The Tigers should have one of the top cornerback duos in the conference in 2026 if Crawford and junior Kayin Lee elect to return.

RB Jeremiah Cobb: Cobb saw limited carries in his first two seasons with the Tigers but is enjoying a breakout junior season. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound back ranks fourth in the SEC in rushing with 789 yards and four touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry. Cobb has produced four 100-yard rushing performances, including a career-high, 153-yard day against Arkansas, and led the conference in rushing yards before contact (319) entering Week 10, per ESPN Research. He can also add value in the return game and ranked third in the SEC in kickoff return yards (444) last season.

DL Malik Blocton: Here's another sophomore who Auburn would love to bring back next season. The Tigers have a ton of promising talent to build around from their top-10 recruiting class in 2024, and these players will have no shortage of options if they hit the portal. Blocton, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound force up front, has eight career tackles for loss and is starting to prove he can handle a bigger workload in his second year with a career-high 43 snaps against Texas A&M. -- Max Olson

Three key recruits

S Bralan Womack, No. 32 in ESPN 300: The Tigers capped a strong late-summer recruiting run when ESPN's No. 3 safety picked Auburn over Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M on Aug. 21. At the time, Womack told ESPN that his decision was influenced heavily by his relationships with Tigers defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and T.J. Rushing, both of whom could soon follow Freeze out of the program. Family ties -- Womack's older sister is a junior on Auburn's softball team -- do remain for the top-35 defender from Flowood, Mississippi. But Womack's Week 9 visit to LSU was notable, and Freeze's departure decidedly opens the door for summer finalists Ohio State and Texas A&M while others, including in-state Ole Miss, could soon enter the mix.

OLB Jaquez Wilkes, No. 125 in ESPN 300: Auburn signed one ESPN 300 linebacker in the 2025 class, and even after the Tigers flipped four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle back into its 2026 class from Georgia on Oct. 14, Wilkes remains one of the critical prongs of the program's post-Freeze recruiting strategy. Florida State, Miami and Texas A&M were the leading runners-up for ESPN's No. 9 outside linebacker in the summer, and with all three programs still targeting 2026 linebackers this fall, Auburn is likely to face plenty of competition to hang onto their second-ranked pledge.

WR Jase Mathews, No. 235 in ESPN 300: The Tigers are loaded at the wide receiver position ... for now. If the likes of Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr. and Malcolm Simmons hit the portal, Auburn will especially want to make sure it keeps Matthews -- the program's lone wide receiver commit in 2026 -- in the fold. The ACL tear that ended Matthews' senior season last month could potentially tamp down flip interest in the 6-foot-2 pass catcher from Leakesville, Mississippi. But Ole Miss and Texas A&M are at least two of the programs still pursuing Matthews, who has the size and talent to be a Day 1 contributor wherever he lands, if healthy. -- Eli Lederman