Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze addressed questions about his role in play-calling decisions this week. The clarification comes as fans have criticized his coaching approach as inefficient and confusing, following the Tigers’ disappointing 5-7 season.
During a recent media session, Freeze explained how he and his coaching staff divide responsibilities on game days.
Freeze Details Auburn’s Collaborative Play-Calling System
In an X video posted by Justin Hokanson, Freeze provided a detailed breakdown of how Auburn’s coaching staff operates during games. The system involves a couple of coordinators handling different situations while Freeze maintains override authority.
“Derek Nix is the offensive coordinator. He does all the planning, scripting, in charge of the game plan. But man, there’s no staff that is not a collaboration when you’re playing,” Freeze explained.
He made clear that while Nix leads the offense, he reserves veto power over any call.
“I offensively or defensively reserve the right to say on the call sheet, I don’t really like that one right here,” Freeze stated. He outlined how responsibilities are divided, noting that Kent kind of leads the third-down plan while Nix handles most other offensive duties.
Hugh Freeze was asked today to clarify the play-calling situation. Here is his explanation. https://t.co/3wkUA7WYFN pic.twitter.com/51wTwEm2Ry
— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) August 14, 2025
Freeze described his movement between units during games. When Auburn’s defense is on the field, he shifts his focus to that side. “I go over on defense and during, when we’re on defense, to do head coaching duties and do the same thing there,” he explained.
His involvement with the defensive unit includes personnel suggestions. “I don’t tell DJ a whole lot, but there are times I can see what I think the offense is doing, and I say, ‘hey, I think we need to cloud this,'” Freeze said about working with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
Freeze confirmed this approach will continue into the 2025 season. “That’s the way it’ll be this year, and while I’m doing that, there are offensive guys led by Nix who are talking about the next series and what we should do,” he explained, describing how coordination happens during TV timeouts and between possessions.
Auburn Fans Express Frustration Over Micromanagement Approach
The explanation comes as Auburn fans have grown frustrated with Freeze’s hands-on coaching approach. Comments from his coordinators recently sparked angry reactions from supporters who question whether the complex system works.
Nix previously said that Freeze has “the authority to overrule anything we say or do.” When asked how often Freeze uses that power, Nix said it “depends on how the game is going” but confirmed Freeze is “highly involved.”
Auburn fans quickly shared their anger with the complicated setup on social media. Supporters called the system inefficient and confusing. Many questioned whether Freeze doesn’t want to admit he’s calling all the plays himself.
The criticism shows broader frustration with Auburn’s poor performance under Freeze. The Tigers went 5-7 last season and missed bowl games for the first time since 2020.
The Tigers enter a crucial third season under Freeze’s leadership with significant pressure to show improvement. Many fans view 2025 as a make-or-break year for the future of Auburn’s coaching staff.
Freeze’s explanation clarifies how the system works during games. Whether this approach can help the Tigers win more games remains unclear as they prepare for another tough SEC season.
