(Update: During his introductory press conference on Tuesday, new Auburn coach Hugh Freeze told reporters he is not relinquishing control of his social media accounts, despite a report that said otherwise. He added how could you in today’s college football, but “there’s maybe some wisdom in that.” Freeze did add, however, he has not been on social media the past few weeks and has had someone else on the account.)
New Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has agreed to relinquish control of his social media accounts, according to an SI report.
Citing multiple sources, Pat Forde reports the background check on Freeze was extensive. In addition, Auburn hired a P.R. consultant to handle any expected blowback in hiring Freeze.
- They are jumping through a lot of hoops for Freeze. As one source with Auburn ties said Sunday, “If he’s contractually obligated to stay off social media and they had to hire an ‘Oh S---’ firm before he even started, is hiring him really a good idea?”
The negative feedback has already begun. Auburn football’s official Facebook page posted the hiring of Freeze and was met with some nasty comments aimed at Freeze.
As of late Monday night, Freeze’s Twitter was active. The account re-tweeted Auburn’s official announcement and re-tweeted former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn’s congratulations.
Earlier in the evening, though, it was tweeted that he wasn’t on the account.
Freeze’s past has become a hot topic in the hours following his hiring at Auburn.
Freeze resigned from Ole Miss in 2017 after it was found he had made at least 12 phone calls to escort services using a university phone, a detail raised as a potential issue in a discussion between the university’s legal counsel and the attorney for former Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt, who was suing the school.
Freeze told ESPN that he denies making such a call.
In addition, a week after Freeze resigned from Ole Miss, former students at Briarcrest Christian - where he started his coaching career - shared stories of inappropriate behavior.
On Monday, Auburn athletic director John Cohen announced the move after what he called a “well-vetted search.” Freeze went 34-15 in four seasons at Liberty.
Former Liberty student Chelsea Andrews was not part of that vetting process.
Andrews is a sexual assault survivor. She tweeted in July about Freeze, the former Liberty head football coach, sending her an unsolicited direct message defending his boss, Liberty athletic director Ian McCaw.
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.