Paul Finebaum really likes what Hugh Freeze has done since taking over the Auburn program.
It has been a long time since the Auburn Tigers were … the Auburn Tigers in the SEC landscape.
Paul Finebaum made a career for himself covering the two Alabama programs of note in The Yellowhammer State. While most people attach this distinguished Tennessee alum to the Crimson Tide, Finebaum spoke glowingly about the state of the Auburn program under new head coach Hugh Freeze. Even though he hasn't coached a game yet, the Tigers are definitely trending up now.
Here is what Finebaum during his weekly Monday radio hit on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on 94.5 JOX down in Birmingham.
Finebaum really liked the Tigers' two biggest transfer portal pickups of late in former Michigan State starting quarterback Payton Thorne and former Ohio State wide receiver Caleb Burton.
Despite the SEC being one of the strongest conferences in the country, Finebaum expects for Freeze to have the Tigers playing in a holiday season bowl game in year one down on The Plains.
Paul Finebaum is bullish on Auburn turning it around fast under Hugh Freeze
Look. I really like what Finebaum is saying about Auburn. With this kind of praise coming from him, it certainly has my attention. I knew that by hiring a controversial head coach, new athletic director John Cohen would receive some pushback, but he could also get something Auburn has been lacking for years, which is everybody pulling in the same direction, those zany boosters included.
When Cohen hired Freeze, I think he went about it by answering this three-pronged question: How would are three biggest rivals in Alabama, Georgia and LSU handle the news that Freeze is coming back to the SEC at Auburn? Freeze may not beat Nick Saban, Kirby Smart and Brian Kelly every single year, but his proven track record as a head coach indicates he will be able to hold his own.
As far as the two latest offseason additions are concerned, Thorne will at least challenge incumbent Robby Ashford for playing time in the Tigers' quarterback room. When it comes to Burton, he most certainly will be getting early playing time down on The Plains, not just out of necessity, but that he won't be so hopelessly buried on the Ohio State wide receiver depth chart.
Ultimately, Auburn's days of being a dysfunctional mess seem to be a thing of the past. The Tigers do play in the more difficult of the two divisions, but divisions should be gone once Oklahoma and Texas join the conference in 2024 to make it a 16-team league. Of course, Auburn can't microwave this thing. It will take time for Freeze to get it right, but by year three, Auburn should be … Auburn!
Finebaum's praise of Freeze's program should have you paying closer attention to Auburn now.