The Auburn Tigers took center stage at SEC Media Days, stepping into the spotlight at the CFB Hall of Fame with year 3 of the Hugh Freeze era officially underway. But it was Freeze’s confidence in Jackson Arnold that stole the show. “I’ve been high on Jackson since day one,” said Freeze, recalling the Gatorade Player of the Year. “He was everything you want in a quarterback — smart, dynamic, and a perfect fit for what Coach [Bo] Nix and I believe in.” With Arnold now at Auburn, Freeze isn’t looking back. “He just fits,” he said.
Although Coach Freeze’s words were meant to build confidence in Jackson Arnold, for some Auburn fans, they did the opposite. One alum admitted feeling uneasy after hearing Freeze’s take. Why? Because even belief needs proof. Freeze likened the evaluation process to “speed dating,” where stats didn’t paint the whole picture. “Things weren’t great statistically,” said Freeze. “So I had to do a deep dive — what went wrong, and can I get past that?” And the tape gave him answers. “He had rotating play callers, injuries on the O-line, banged-up receivers — but when you pull up all his throws, I kept seeing it.”So, Freeze has hope — but there’s still reason for concern.
After Auburn took the spotlight at SEC Media Days, not everyone left feeling fired up. On the July 17 episode of Josh Pate’s CFB Show, Auburn alum Cole Cubelic didn’t hold back. His confidence in Hugh Freeze took a hit, and it all centered around the handling of Jackson Arnold. “I’m a little bit down on Auburn after yesterday,” said Cubelic, “Hearing Hugh Freeze talk about instructing his defensive staff to essentially make life easy on Jackson Arnold in practice to boost his confidence — is this the end-all, be-all? No. Does this mean Auburn’s going to go six and six? No. I just don’t like that, when I know that confidence is the one thing that needs to be rebuilt in him.” So, the takeaway? Even belief needs a bite, and Cubelic is waiting to see it on the field.
Cole Cubelic didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts on Jackson Arnold’s journey. In his eyes, the fix isn’t just about reps, it’s about a total rebuild. “And you and I’ve talked about it — it’s got to be rewired,” said Cubelic. “Like, if this is Jurassic Park, you got to go in the lab, pull the DNA out of the mosquito, and make it different for Jackson Arnold. He can’t be the same guy that he was last year.” So, for Cubelic, confidence isn’t something you can manufacture in a lab. It has to be earned in real time. “I also don’t think you can fabricate that confidence. You got to go out and do it.”
He even recalled a moment with LSU coach Brian Kelly: “I remember a conversation I had with Brian Kelly two years ago about Jaden Daniels — not his Heisman year, two years ago — and he said, ‘We’ve talked to Jaden and I told him, go throw an interception.’” So, the message? Let go of fear. Build belief through failure. That’s how stars are made. And Cole Cubelic laid it out bluntly — QBs can’t grow without risk. “You’re thinking, ‘Wait, what? Throw an interception?‘” he said, recalling Brian Kelly’s message to Jaden Daniels. “But the point was to show him it’s okay to take shots.” Cubelic believes Jackson Arnold needs the same freedom. “If he never takes them, he’ll never know what he’s capable of. And if it doesn’t work? Do it again. Eventually, it will,” said Cubelic.
But Josh Pate isn’t ready to buy in, not just yet. “I’ve had too many offseason hopes wrecked,” he admitted. Even with Jackson Arnold’s Elite 11 pedigree and offers from top programs, Pate stays cautious. “He had all the tools. I saw it with my own eyes.” And Cubelic echoed the sentiment, recalling Eli Drinkwitz once called Arnold “the most talented quarterback he’s ever worked with.” So, the hype is real, but so is the hesitation.
And Hugh Freeze’s Auburn has shown flashes of offensive growth — something that didn’t go unnoticed by Cubelic.
Auburn’s offense heading into this season
Cole Cubelic, former Auburn lineman turned ESPN analyst, just dropped his top five SEC offensive lines — and Auburn cracked the top three. Yes, Auburn. Landing at No. 3, the Tigers edged out rivals like Alabama, and Cubelic didn’t hold back on the praise… or the caution.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a conversation like this,” admitted Cubelic. “I’ll be the first to say it — it’s not exactly comfortable.” Burned by Auburn O-line hype in the past, he’s treading carefully. But this time feels different. “This is the one that looks like it has the most potential.” So, he sees size. He sees depth. And for once, he sees promise – enough to believe this might just be the strongest Auburn front in years.
However, Cole Cubelic has seen this movie before — new names, big buzz, and sky-high expectations. So, he’s cautious. He’s been burned too many times by Auburn’s offensive line hype in recent years. Still, you could hear it in his voice; this group feels different. “I’m not stamping my confidence and approval right this second,” stated Cubelic. “But I will absolutely give you that they have the opportunity to be there.” So, the pieces are in place. The potential is real. Now, it’s just up to them to prove it.
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