Hugh Freeze has a pretty dithering year ahead. Physically, he is battling the grisly prostate cancer. Professionally, the veteran head coach doesn’t seem to be doing great either. After a 5-7 disaster, Freeze might feel the pressure of a chip on his shoulder to turn the pages. But the reality hits hard. The popular narrative has him in the hottest seat among the other beleaguered head coaches. Freeze can face issues from a lackluster play calling, poor QB play, a bunch of wrong decisions, and so on. The roster thinning also persists as a deeper headache for the veteran head coach, as he lost 21 players in the portal. But a hope in despair! Tigers receive good news for their D-line. Can it be a breather for the Oklahoma transfer, Jackson Arnold, coming with an eye-popping $950K? A topic worth exploring.
Thanks to Liberty Flames defensive lineman Jay Hardy, an old hat to Auburn, as he hit the portal this offseason. Hardy had been an unexplored asset to the Auburn defense in 2020, after appearing in one game, before transferring to Liberty to play for Freeze from 2021 to 2022. After signing up for just one game with Auburn, Hardy had a 13-game streak in his debut with Liberty. He recorded 16 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one pass breakup. Now, it seems he’s planning a reunion with Coach Freeze and defensive tackle coach Vontrell King-Williams. The current Auburn DL coach was the first to approach him for the Liberty when he was in the portal. The duo developed a great bond over time.
Being able to learn under Vontrell’s radar again seems fascinating to the Liberty DL. So, he didn’t wait to respond to a subtle interest and found himself on the Auburn campus on Friday, April 18th. The duos (Tigers and Hardy) started from right where they left off. The facilities and staff might get changed, but the vibe remains the same. “When Freeze called me, that let me know that he still cared for me, and it was more than ball,” Hardy said after a fruitful meeting of the Tigers staff. “When he called me first, letting me know that he wanted me to still come play for him. Coaches like Coach Dom (Studzinski), like being around those guys when I was at Liberty, helped me a lot. So, coming here and considering Coach Freeze was a big change from Liberty to here.”
Back in 2020, he might not have had a clear idea of what Coach Freeze could offer him. The relationship coefficient also didn’t seem very strong. So, eventually, it fell apart with very short notice. Back then, it was Hardy’s parents who fiercely moved him to take the call. He almost landed in Tennessee. But then his parents’ love for Freeze’s program moved him to take a U-turn. However, if the prodigy, for the second time, has to choose the Tigers, it will be his own free will. For now, Freeze has nothing to do except showcase his best traits and the culture in front of Hardy and make him believe what they’re worthy of, even though their first marriage didn’t work out.
Former Auburn DL Jay Hardy, who spent one season with the Tigers before transferring to Liberty, is back in the portal.
Reuniting with Hugh Freeze is a possibility.
“When Freeze called me, that let me know that he still cared for me.”
MORE: https://t.co/rpMKNqcEHv pic.twitter.com/rxSIH1QECE
— Caleb Jones (@CalebJ_Rivals) April 20, 2025
A great defensive backbone is the ground for a blazing offense. There’s no point in throwing the balls quicker if your defensive line keeps allowing points. So, amidst the Jackson Arnold conundrum, the arrival of a familiar face in the defense can bring fresh air to the Tigers’ tight-knit roster. But some lingering questions don’t let Freeze sleep in peace.
Jackson Arnold shows mixed bag possibilities ahead of his much-anticipated first year
While the potential addition of a former defensive lineman sounds good, the QB position remains at the center of the Tigers’ 2025 season. As analyst Steven Lassan shared, “To me, this is the one position [QB] that will make or break the season. How good is Jackson Arnold, and can he play with a lot more consistency? Can he play with a mistake-free ball that sometimes we didn’t see out of Payton Thorne?” But poor Freeze!
You don’t really pose an answer against his doubt, as Arnold has largely been absent this spring. He has still been nursing a hamstring injury. Of course, Freeze has two more guys contending for the prize at the center, namely Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight. But Arnold seems to be the leader of the clubhouse. The former Gatorade national player of the year might not have had his best years with the Sooners, but that doesn’t mean he can’t step out and shine in his new QB stint.
Just that it’s still unproven. Arnold faced a lot of O-line issues, an offensive co-ordinator changes and incapable receivers issues at Norman. So, a harsh judgment of the scoreboard would be harsh. On the other hand, he gets a loaded receiver room including Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton, and others at Auburn. Do you think a rebound is next to impossible? Not at all. If the defense can match the pace, Auburn can write a different story. Watch out for that!
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