Paul Finebaum Identifies Potential Candidate to Replace Hugh Freeze at Auburn

The Auburn Tigers’ difficult season continued in Week 10 of the 2024 college football season, as they dropped a fifth game in six weeks, losing to Vanderbilt 17-7 and falling to 3-6 overall. This marked Auburn’s fourth consecutive season with five or more SEC losses, a streak not seen since 1930. Hugh Freeze, now in his second season as head coach, has struggled to reverse the team’s trajectory, which was similarly troubled under former head coach Brian Harsin. Freeze’s record stands at 9-13, while Harsin finished his Auburn tenure at 9-12 before his midseason departure in 2022. Although Auburn has not indicated any immediate plans for a coaching change, ESPN’s college football analyst Paul Finebaum recently highlighted a potential replacement Auburn might consider if it decides to part ways with Freeze.

On “The Matt Barrie Show,” Finebaum discussed Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall as a promising candidate with Auburn connections. “There are people at Auburn who are familiar with Sumrall,” Finebaum noted. “I think they’ve only lost their sixth game this season, correct? Five or six? I may have lost track.” Finebaum went on to praise Sumrall’s impressive record. Sumrall, who joined Tulane from Troy, has posted a 30-6 record in his three seasons as a head coach. “I don’t know him well, but I’ve interviewed him,” Finebaum added. “I’ve heard Sumrall’s name privately mentioned for two different SEC jobs (Auburn and Kentucky) that aren’t currently open. He’s that highly regarded… there are two SEC schools right now where, if a change were made, he’d likely be their top pick.”

Auburn is scheduled for a bye in Week 11, followed by matchups against Louisiana Monroe, No. 10 Texas A&M, and No. 14 Alabama. Their game against Louisiana Monroe kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on November 16.