← See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
Hugh Freeze | SEC Previews: LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina & Auburn
00:48:07
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- [00:00]
David Pollock
What's up, everybody? David Pollack here of C Ball Get Ball podcast. I hope you like it, man. Be sure to follow the show Wherever you subscribe, YouTube or any of your other platforms. Welcome in again. Thank you guys so much for joining. C Ball Get Ball. David Pollock, Brent Rollins, like always today, we got a good one. Brent, like lsu, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Auburn, Coach Hugh Freeze is going to talk to us and be really honest about everything that's going on with the program and talking about expectations and all that stuff this next season. But first we'll go to these squads and let's start with lsu. Brent I want to start with lsu. Just I know you like to do alphabetical order, so that's why I'm starting with lsu, just to mix it up and mess it up. Let's talk about LSU this season and the schedule, the expectations, the replacements of what they got to do to to have a great season. Because to me, it starts on both lines of scrimmage.
- [00:52]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, it's and you got Blake Baker, that came over from Missouri's sort of year two as a defensive coordinator. And can they take that leap and do those things that you're talking about? Because the big thing for them defensively is you lost Swenson and Jones, 103 quarterback pressures and 14 sacks that those two guys took to the NFL in the third and fifth round. And you bring in Pyburn from Florida, Peyton from Florida State, you bring in the Butler kid from Nebraska. By the way, those three players basically half in terms of production a season ago, 57 pressures, eight sacks. So yeah, you got Wit Weeks, you got Harold Perkins coming back.
- [01:37]
David Pollock
You get Perkins Jr. Back from the ACL, which is like a, obviously a plus to that. Like, because there's no minus losing or with that sucker. And then Weeks, obviously you got do you have the best one two punch in the country at linebacker, at rushing the passer and like making crap happen. Because with weeks in Perkins Jr. I, I might say that as, as.
- [02:00]
Brent Rollins
A twosome, very much so, especially if you get, especially if you get earlier truly healthy version of Perkins because it's almost seemingly unfortunately for him, it's the play is kind of decreased as his role has changed over time. Other questions that you, you said the biggest question there but can you win an opener? Because it's as big as it gets.
- [02:21]
David Pollock
Ain't done it since Joe Burrow was there. They opener since Joe Burrow was at lsu.
- [02:28]
Brent Rollins
That's, that's a while ago. Which by the way, you think about what, what we're doing here. We're starting to preview the sec because the SEC media days are coming up next week, all sort of talking season. So the teams that we're going to go talk about today are those that are being the coaches that are there at SEC media days on Monday. And you mentioned Joe Burrow, because Outside of the 2019 year with LSU, it's been a Georgia Obama domination of this league in terms of winning the conference. And you're looking for some of these other teams like LSU with your quarterback back, with Nuss Meyer back, to take a step and potentially be someone who knocks one of those teams off the pedestal.
- [03:12]
David Pollock
So Nuss Meyer to me, to me, you got Nussmeier, like you just mentioned. And so to start this off, that's great. Four guys of the five up front are gone and they got drafted. They went to the NFL. And here's the disturbing part. Like, when I, when I start to look at this roster, Brent, I see a lot of great. I see a lot of great. I see a lot of good things. I see a lot to be excited about. I see a team, if everything went perfect, they could go to the playoffs. If the season meshed together, if, if the new additions are who the new additions are, like, they're a team that could somehow get it together. But the offensive line. A year ago, Brent had four guys drafted in a top five pick and they didn't have balance on offense. And that's where like, that has to grow for me. Like, I saw Kaden Durham, who's an animal, like, this dude is a freshman. He proved he's one of the best backs in the country. He caught more, he had more receiving yards than any other freshman in the country. He was good at that. He was almost three and a half yards after contact every single time he touched the football. Like, this dude can play the game. They've got to have more balance. If Nussmeier has balance on this offense, good luck. Like, they're going to score points at will against everybody and then the defense obviously comes along and makes plays. But if you're starting to look at, you know, how you're going to pick them to finish. Brent, what are you looking at with this squad to say they could go to the playoffs? They could not. What are those biggest factors?
- [04:39]
Brent Rollins
I see? Well, so in terms of factors and. Or questions one, you mentioned the defense. That was one. Can they win an opener? And then the running game, because they were last in the SEC in last year in rushing. But the schedule is just like that's what's, what's. When you look at the SEC and projecting any of these teams, there's so much I can be beaten by almost anyone on my schedule. And by the way that now includes Vandy. So you know, there's so much of looking at their schedule like you got they get Florida at home early. That to me is a, the opener is yes, it's a big game. It's.
- [05:19]
David Pollock
Yeah, you think the best game in the country.
- [05:21]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, it's, it's, it's a really big one. But in terms of the SEC and where they want to be to ultimately get to they, it's, it's an SEC driven season for them. And, and that first game or that night game at home against Florida early to me is borderline game of the season for them to get them rolling moving forward. But also you mentioned the additions in the great. I'm curious if the law firm of Anderson, Anderson and Brown at receiver with a couple transfers there and Barry and Brown to me is one that I really want to see what he looks like playing with somebody like Garrett Nussmeier because from a talent perspective I think his talent is borderline second to none and receipt up there with some of the upper echelon receivers in the sec. But he's played with inconsistent quarterbacks. Can he be big time?
- [06:14]
David Pollock
It's a very nice way to say it. Inconsistent quarterbacks.
- [06:16]
Brent Rollins
He's playing inconsistent.
- [06:18]
David Pollock
And that's the thing about receivers. They, they're dependent on other people to get him the football. Like so a lot of times you don't see how great they are. But you mentioned Anderson too and I really liked him in the slot, like really good slot receiver that can make things happen good after the catch. So I think they've got a variation of receivers. They got the running back, the offensive line. Does that come to fruition? The schedule you mentioned though at Clemson, at Ole Miss, at Bama, at ou, that's a lot of ats. And I think early in the season while this all things coming together like are they out of it before they blinked? Like are they out of it before they gel? Because I see this team down the stretch being a team that like crap, you don't want to fool with, you don't want to mess with. Once they've gelled, once they've got experience. But coming out of the gates, how good is lsu? And to me that's why they're not going to make the playoff. To me they're, they're a 9 and 3 team which is I think a good season. Last year they were nine and four. You know, first time I think Brian Kelly hadn't won, you know, hadn't been ranked at the end of the season. You know, this is. That's not normal for. For lsu, but I think it's going to be in that vein again because I think the inconsistencies along the offensive line as the season starts out. So I got him at 9 and 3.
- [07:29]
Brent Rollins
What you got him at that right around there. And I. That's what. If I'm looking at this for the. Especially from a playoff projection standpoint, I think the SEC is going to be in trouble again in terms of getting that fourth team because you're going to have a ton of nine and threes or and teams that. And I think almost their hope is that what some of the things we talked about with the Big Ten in the bottom of the Big Ten coming up and creating a little bit more parity in the Big Ten to where you don't have that 11 and one Indiana that gets the four spot. If you get more of that and you have a 10 and 2 Big 10, 9 and 3 SEC team with a big win that like I just. I think LSU is going to be one of these. I think basically the three, four teams we're talking about today could be all in that literal same boat, 8 and 8 and 4, 9 and 3 kind of thing. So. And trade is one other name trade as Green. Your earlier tweet in the week about the, you know, tight end in football, college football. So many responses for that kid. The kid that plays hoops. Six, seven kid, very good athlete.
- [08:31]
David Pollock
All right, where are we going next?
- [08:33]
Brent Rollins
Ole Miss lane train. By the way, you just look back at their year, two bad losses. That's a what. That's a. With the talent that they had, that's a what could have been season. Almost all timer in their. In their school's history of a what could have been season. Because with Dart and the defensive line that they had. So to me like number one question is they have borderline an entire new defense that's seven plus new starters. At least seven. And then after that, just how good is Austin Simmons? Because we only saw a snippet here.
- [09:11]
David Pollock
Here's one thing I know, Brent. The Ole Miss coaching staff in that Georgia game when Austin Simmons came in and Jackson Dark got banged up. First round pick, Jackson Dark, they were over there on the headset and they were like jackson good.
- [09:25]
Brent Rollins
Sure.
- [09:25]
Hugh Freeze
Are you sure?
- [09:28]
David Pollock
Take some time. Like they were looking at each Other like did this dude just come in fresh off the pine and just run through Georgia's defense, convert a fourth down and made it look like it was scout team. Brother was like this is easy, this is light work. Like that was absolutely incredible. So you look at this ole miss squad, 310 win seasons in the last four years. Like they're starting to. They've started to click. They've started to understand who they are. I think they got good pieces. Are you worried about their wide receivers at all?
- [10:00]
Brent Rollins
Yes and no. And the no is because of his offense. What they do is creating open space for receivers and it's just his offense and what it does. They had Trey Harris a year ago and obviously they lose three of the top four receivers but and Harris was the hey I can go win one on one and do great things in a jump ball type setting but I trust the offense and one for me that I'm looking at and very curious of how he gets used and is Caleb Odom, a kid who transferred over from Bama that played with at Carrollton High School in Georgia with Julian Lewis was a you know six Big six, five kid receiver. So he's one to me. But they obviously got this stribling kid from Oklahoma State.
- [10:45]
David Pollock
How many wins you got him at?
- [10:47]
Brent Rollins
I. I've. I think they're a 9 and 3. 9 and 3 ish. 8 and 4 depending upon. Now the one thing for me with this with this year compared to last year for them is their non conference schedule isn't an absolute just scrimmage fest. They've got Tulane, they've got Washington State the week before they played Georgia. Yes Georgia State in the opener but still like they have to show up for those games versus last year it was Middle Tennessee direct. It was just destruction and too easy. So can they take care of them things in the non conference and then they get LSU at home at Oklahoma, at Georgia. Like I just, I think there's all these SEC teams to me are going to be right about the same and they're just going to beat each other.
- [11:39]
David Pollock
South Carolina guys you're replacing all over the field that were just really good football players with a lot of experience and that that's the biggest question mark for that squad.
- [11:49]
Brent Rollins
Canard was drafted in the fourth round, Sanders in the second round, Eamon Warrior in the second round, Demetrius Knight in the second round, Hemingway in the fourth round and then you still had Rocket Sanders and Josh Simon on the offense that were sort of big, sort of big time playmakers for them on the Offensive side, to me, this. Their season hinges on can Lenora Sellers be Superman like he was versus Clemson week, you know, week in and week out through throughout the sec and he just sort of takes that step that his talent says can be taken. That's. That's what says they're ceiling. But also under the Raider transfer. Transfer that they get, the Aaron Owen kid, that's. That's from Georgia, that transfer from Ohio State that you have now a. A very talented backup in case Sellers does get dinged up in a game or misses a week or something, which.
- [12:41]
David Pollock
He did last year.
- [12:42]
Brent Rollins
Right.
- [12:42]
David Pollock
I think you'll. The way he runs the football. And as much as he does and as much as he has to do, it's part of the game. Right. Because when it's a pass, he's still getting hit a lot of times because he's scrambling or he's getting hit in the pocket and trying to make things happen. So it's a legit concern. Man, Rocket Sanders was really good. Like, really good. Very decisive. Broke tackles him. And tackling him and Lenor Sellers for a whole game was an absolute. No. Miserable, miserable experience. Like, you didn't like it and they just made things happen. That, that will be interesting to. To monitor with me, but, like, you know, you lose your oc, they just lose a lot. And Brent, I'm not. I'm not jumping on this if you think nine wins. I'm not. I'm not with you on this one. Like, I'm. I'm. I'm thinking lower for South Carolina just because of all that experience. Your top three wide receivers, your tight end, all the guys we just mentioned on defense, your offensive coordinator. Like, dude, this is a lot of things to replace. And I think now I like the schedule early. I really like the schedule early for South Carolina because they got time early in the season playing Virginia Tech, South Carolina State, Vandy, Missouri, Kentucky. Like, the lightest part of their schedule, 100% is the first part. Like, because then it gets LSU, OU, Bama, Ole Miss, A and M. Like Clemson, it gets real down the stretch. So the fact that you got some time to figure some things out, that's not a bad thing. I think the schedule sets up well for them to be more successful because of that.
- [14:07]
Brent Rollins
Yeah. And. But I still don't see that. I don't see them being better than 9 and 3. I think that's the ceiling. And likely 8 and 4 is in this with all of these teams and including the next one, we're going to talk about is 9 and 3 going to be good enough to get in the playoff this year?
- [14:26]
David Pollock
You.
- [14:27]
Brent Rollins
I don't. I don't know.
- [14:29]
David Pollock
Can be 9 and 9 and 3. Good Lord. There's another one. But I think they're. I think there's seven or eight wins and I think. But I think they're still like they're going in the right direction and they play the right way. I just think that there's so much to replace that. It's going to be extremely difficult.
- [14:43]
Brent Rollins
All right. Nick harbor too, by the way. One thing with last thing with South Carolina, can Nick harbor, who is probably just the. Throw it. Throw him a go ball in the college football game that just came out or that's coming out this week. Six, five. One of the fastest dudes in the country. I think he did. I see that. He got the 99 speed, maybe. Yeah, I don't know.
- [15:04]
David Pollock
He did.
- [15:05]
Brent Rollins
But speaking of the game, wasn't there something you were going to talk about as it relates?
- [15:10]
David Pollock
Oh, that's right. Hey, we'll do this. Whatever. Whoever has the best comment in the YouTube section or on socials with us. You can be creative as you want. We'll decide this is a dictatorship. Okay. We're going to decide who wins. But the best comment, Hugh Freeze is coming up. If you want to take something he.
- [15:28]
Brent Rollins
Says, there's gonna be a lot of comments on that.
- [15:30]
David Pollock
Yeah, whatever he says. Whatever you want to make it the funniest on point, whatever, you know, most accurate, whatever you want to correct, something you want to make fun of us, whatever that looks like. We'll send you a. A code for your Xbox or for your PlayStation so you can use. Use the. The new game. The new NCAA football game. 1.
- [15:49]
Brent Rollins
One game or one comment from Monday's show? Dang Pollock, lay off that Red Bull, my man. Some. I forget the handle. I, I want to say it was like Roger or something, but I, I replied back that, trust me, he does not drink it, nor does he need it.
- [16:06]
David Pollock
Yeah, yeah, I like the comment. I appreciate that. And that 100 is my personality, bro. You couldn't pay me a thousand dollars to touch a Red Bull. Not happening. That's not going in this body, brother.
- [16:18]
Brent Rollins
No, but, hey, next we're talking Auburn and I. There's a lot of pressure. I think this is a make or break year for Coach Freeze and his squad.
- [16:30]
David Pollock
Missed a bowl game in four straight years.
- [16:34]
Brent Rollins
It's a Brent.
- [16:35]
David Pollock
Four straight years. That's nuts. To think that hasn't happened since like the 1940s. Like but here's the thing. I like this Auburn team.
- [16:45]
Brent Rollins
I do.
- [16:46]
David Pollock
I. I think. I think the offensive line is really good. I think it's deep. I think it's experienced. Talk about the best one, two punching wide receiver in the country. I will take Auburn because I love having a variation of guys that can do different things. And when I say that Coleman at 6 foot, you know, 4, 6, 5 on the outside, like, I can throw him the rock. Singleton can win in here. Like, I can put them on the same side. You know, it's harder to double those guys because they're not the same type of wide receiver, which I think is really, really good. The biggest question mark is Jackson Arnold, and it's not even close. Yep.
- [17:22]
Brent Rollins
And I got to stick around and listen to Coach because he's confident.
- [17:30]
David Pollock
I was promised is Jackson Arnold because last year was. Last year was tough. But. But I do think. I do think the one thing that I do know about that kid, watching him, I do know he's an elite runner. And I do know Hugh Freeze with an elite runner at quarterback is a dangerous freaking animal. Because then he gets to the RPO games, the quick game, he changes tempo as well as anybody in the country with, you know, with their green light, with their red light, they'll come up to the line of scrimmage and go fast, fast, fast, and they'll come up and they'll wait to the, to the last second on the play clock. Like, they just do a really good job of mixing and varying tempos. And so I think that that's something you can lean on, that Auburn hasn't had. Like, Peyton Thorne was a good runner. He wasn't a great runner. Jackson Arnold's a great runner. Like, you saw that against Alabama. You saw that in spurts. You saw him get hit, you saw him break tackles. I think they'll lean on that as long as they need to. The two good wide receivers, an offensive line that's going to be really, really good, man. I expect Auburn. I think Auburn's going at least 8.
- [18:29]
Brent Rollins
And 4 at least.
- [18:30]
David Pollock
I do. I think they have that potential, and I think they could kind of take off and do better and be one of those surprise teams, too, because they've got so much talent across both sides of the football.
- [18:39]
Brent Rollins
And I think they're getting one of Georgia Obama again, both at home. They're getting one of those, I think. And if you get one of those.
- [18:46]
David Pollock
Play Bama tough at home, man, I don't know what it is. Bama's been better Talent wise the majority of time. But they, they always play them tough. But opening at Baylor, you know the students are all going to run on the field. It's going to be crazy because that's what they do every year. Really unique and cool there. They, they were a team down the stretch last year that they won five, six games in a row. They found their quarterback, they found their running back like they've, they're going to be a team. Dave Aranda is always well coached. He's, he's, he's got, he's got a great head on his shoulder. He knows how to teach defense. He knows how to get people to buy in and believe so that that's a big one to come out the gates with. But at A M, host Georgia or at OU at A&M and host Georgia. That three game stretch will really decide I think for Auburn how good they're going to be and who's going to play running back for them. Like Jarquiz Hunter the last couple years he's been a mainstay. He's been a staple breaking tackle is making it happen. I know Jackson Arnold can do it. I know Singleton will do it some. But like they're going to need that workhorse in the running back and I wonder who that guy is. And if they can get great production there, man, they're gonna be a tough offense to stop.
- [19:52]
Brent Rollins
I agree, I agree.
- [19:55]
David Pollock
But why listen to us talk about Auburn when you look we can listen to coach Hugh Freeze talk about Auburn. So we got to catch up with him earlier. And here's the ball coach talking about his squad. All right, next we're going to welcome in the Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze. Have known Hugh for a long time. Hugh, how's the golf game by the way? We solid with golf?
- [20:14]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah. You know, everybody seems to like to talk about my golf game. It's, it's not as good as it used to be every night.
- [20:24]
David Pollock
I heard Jill's giving you all the, all the run for your money you want.
- [20:27]
Hugh Freeze
Jill is going to with the gin system. She most days is going to beat me right now she's. And if she's not beating me when it gets to the last few holes, she somehow comes up with a new gen system that, that gives her a distinct advantage to win.
- [20:47]
David Pollock
Well, that's good. That, that's good. I like that out of her. That's how it should be. She should be competitive. She should try to win. I have absolutely no problem with that. Speaking of coach being competitive, trying to win, you Guys, you guys added some pieces this year. A new. The new world in college football. Obviously, you're. You're adding pieces. You're recruiting, obviously at the high school level, but also adding transfer portals. And you guys, you guys jumped in and got a few players coach that your starting quarterback in Jackson Arnold. And we saw him last year and we saw him have. Here's what I'll say. We saw him, had some good moments, especially with his feet. We saw the supporting cast not being really elite around him by any stretch of the imagination. So when you saw Jackson Arnold and you were trying to decide whether you wanted to recruit him or not, what sold you? What made you pull the trigger on him?
- [21:35]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, well, David, truthfully, it comes back to what I saw from him out of high school. I just thought he was elite. I thought, I mean, obviously he was Gatorade player of the year and, you know, maybe the number one. The number one quarterback in the country coming out of high school, and everybody wanted him. And I thought he had all of the natural ability that it takes to run the offense. I want to run. And, you know, studying the, the Oklahoma film and I think others felt that way too. Even at Oklahoma, when you, you know, you let a guy like Dillian Gabriel walk out the door believing you have, I would assume that was the feeling that. That you've got a guy here that's the heir apparent. And I just think it was a very difficult circumstances which all of us walk through at times, where, I mean, what do you have three different coordinators in one year? And all the receivers were injured, some of the old line was injured. And I just, I think it was an unfortunate circumstance. And I don't know that it's really anybody's fault. It just, it was a thing that I think kind of compiled and he lost some confidence, I believe, and was maybe a little hesitant to pull the trigger, you know, And I think Peyton was that way for us in year one, too. Where, man, is the guy really going to get out of the break and win at the top end of that route? And can I. Can I let that thing go? And. And so I think the biggest question I had, though is, man, can we restore the confidence that I saw and the swagger that I saw with that guy? That was the Gatorade player of the year coming out of high school that all of us wanted when he came out. And have you gotten it back? I think so. I thought spring he had that swagger. Now, I think what, what helped, obviously, is him realizing, dang, I Got a one on one with Cam Coleman. This dude, this guy may make the play if I just put it in the right spot or area code, you know, or Eric Singleton or Malcolm Simmons or Perry Thompson or, you know, Horatio Fields. I mean we've got some guys that, that I think can, can make you have some confidence. And I think it grew and grew and grew throughout spring and he continues to lead our, you know, player led seven on sevens this summer. And I think he's, I think his confidence has grown. I actually, I had a meeting with these personality trait guys that I actually started kind of believing in some to help me like, all right, how do I deal with these different quarterbacks? Deuce Knight, who's a freak of a talent too, but. And Jackson Arnold. And how do I measure is the confidence back and tell me, you know, the bad stuff about me? And he did, you know, and he said here's where you are, man. You're Scotty Pippen sometimes and you're Michael Jordan sometimes. He likes to use the basketball players and, and he said here's the, the problem with that is, is there's two extremes. And, and you've got to be really. And you're really bad about that with quarterbacks being too extremes and Jackson doesn't need that. Jackson needs the, the Scottie Pippen teacher approach and not the get your butt in gear, what the heck did you just do? Michael Jordan approach, if that makes any sense. And so I've, I'm, I'm, I'm trying to make sure that I'm approaching them. Deuce needs me to be his friend right now and just tell him I love him. You know, there's not a day that goes by that boy don't walk in here, Coach, how you doing today? And he just wants to know he is valued, which he is. So anyway, I got off topic there, I think, but I think his confidence has, has grown for sure.
- [25:44]
Brent Rollins
Well, Coach, you've, you've obviously felt enough positive from him that you're taking him to SEC media days next week. And the other comment that you made the offense you want to run. So do you feel like with the sort of total overhaul or your quarterback room now that you can run the sort of offense that you want to run?
- [26:04]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, I do. I. It's what he grew up in. He, he's naturally through the mesh, which is, I think one of the people don't talk about that a lot. And an RPO driven. There's, there's many that just are not really natural through that mesh and are in a big hurry to, to get out of it. He's really natural from hip to hip. Somebody has taught him really well on that which I think makes it very difficult on the defense and allows him more time to process where is that extra hat and should this ball stay in the belly or not. And I think going to media days was an absolute no brainer to show him what we believe about him. I think he needs that and that is what we believe about him. And so you know those things that he has this just are natural that will allow us to run our base offense and you know he can throw the concepts too. I don't, I don't, I'm not a big concept guy. I don't think that, I mean I know it's good but that ball needs to come out pretty fast in this league. The, the D line is just better athletes than most O lines. And if you get into a drop back game, I've just. The years we've won, I've been fortunate. I don't know somebody wrote this the other day, but I've been fortunate to win 10 football games at four different universities. And those years that, that we did that, we were rpo quick game, 7 man protection shots and run the football and it just, the times you're calling the drop back passes that second year we beat Alabama in, in their stadium, I called five drop back passes that game and I think we still threw for like 368. But it's, that's when I think we're our best, when we can operate in that manner. And I think he has that capacity.
- [28:17]
David Pollock
For us and he has those, those wheels. I mean coach, the one thing, the one thing I saw a year ago like despite all the failing around him, the wheels are great, elite, like big time plays, big time speed. So that obviously suits you well. And the way you design your offenses over the years, like it's just a pain in my butt. But I want to talk about Coleman and Singleton because speaking of pain in my butt, it's the best one two punch I think in the country. Wide receiver. And it's so nice to have guys, one guy that can catch it. A 5050 ball is an 8020 ball is a 9010 ball. And another guy that have the variation of good luck putting your hands on that sucker because he's so freaking quick and athletic. So like you got the mobile quarterback like what, what does this, you talked about a little bit with this offense, but what does this offense you think morph into and I mean, the shot plays. You want to come up and play the QB run game, the shot plays. Obviously, you know, you better, you better, you better hold your wallet.
- [29:15]
Hugh Freeze
We've got to be willing to do it. And I do before I get to that, that Jackson Arnold, the game that sold me, he put Oklahoma on his back against Alabama and said, I will win this game with my legs.
- [29:30]
David Pollock
Yep.
- [29:31]
Hugh Freeze
And that was some hard. I think it was 148 yards he rushed for, but it was a difficult, hard, nose, tough 148 yards. So, yes, he adds that element to us also. I'm not huge on calling 15 of those a game, but, but, you know, you, I want them to know that we could. And then obviously extending the plays where then you have an Eric Singleton when you extend a play and he takes off and you hand up in the air. Closes. Yes. Because that boy, I think he clocked the other day out here 23 7, you know, and. Oh my God. So I think he can run. And so. Yeah. So let's, let's talk about the receiver room. And Cam is such a likable kid and so coachable. Doesn't.
- [30:24]
David Pollock
What makes him special, Coach?
- [30:26]
Hugh Freeze
I'm sorry.
- [30:27]
David Pollock
What makes him special?
- [30:28]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah. Well, length first and speed. And then he has these natural ball skills that just, it seems. I don't care what's around him, he just feels like that ball is his. And he's naturally on the timing. Where you've seen some receivers before, they're in the right position, but they're covered. But the timing of the jump is a little off and they're not high point that man. You don't ever feel like that's the case for him. It just seems kind of just like a natural at all. Right. Here's when I got to go get it. And, and, and then just. Man, he is a. He wants to be coached. You know, in this day and time where kids are, you know, looking at their worth on own three, on what, whatever they're supposed to be worth and all of that. You just don't get the impression that he ever gets caught up in that at all. And it's kind of refreshing. And he's fun to coach, but his length and size. He reminds me of the guys I had at Ole Miss when you, when we signed Van Jefferson, D.K. metcalf, A.J. brown, Laquan Treadwell, though, Evan Ingram, those guys there. He reminds me of those guys. And you forget he's just, you know, he's just going to be a sophomore and he's still kind of learning the game. Singleton, yes, he can run routes and all of that, but man, he can do so many more things that we've got to use him to do. He's got to get his touches and whether that's in the jet sweep world, whether it's in some power read world with Jackson Arnold who can do that or but you, you got our screen game but you got to get this guy some touches because of what he can do with the ball in his hands and, and don't sleep on Malcolm Simmons or Perry Thompson or Horatio Fields. I mean those, all of those guys are. Malcolm can run extremely fast and so we feel really confident about that room. Hopefully it stays healthy and, and coach.
- [32:32]
David Pollock
When we started the, when we started the interview, you had your readers on to, to read your play sheets. So I'm guessing that Singleton's going to have an area of touches on the play sheet like make sure I get this guy the football.
- [32:45]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, yeah. I hired a guy, Leander Wallace from the, from the Texans and that's, that was one of their big things there. You know, who, who's got to get some touches and, and I've always kind of believed that and I've studied their call sheets and their practice schedules because I do think the world's coming where we're going to have to practice a little different at some point and, and he will have, there will be, there'll be a sheet on there where we got to get him some touches.
- [33:14]
Brent Rollins
Definitely. Coach, we know the SEC is what it is, the week to week grind that is the sec. But talk about the opener because I heard Dave Randa talking yesterday, yesterday, the day before about he thinks it's the most talented team he's had a Baylor, the most depth he's had like that opening game for you guys, that's a different animal versus hey, I got conference games I'm normally used to but opening at Baylor talk about what the challenge that is.
- [33:41]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, it's a challenger, a really good football team and I have great respect for Dave Aranda and you know, used to go against him when he was the DC at the LSU and I was at Ole Miss and he always gave us problems and so I know that he'll have a great plan. Defensively I do think they're very talented. I think that quarterback is a winner and a good football player. They've got a tremendous receiver, slash punt. Returner. D line is very, very active and, and on the move. So it is definitely not an easy opener and one that has Our full attention. I assure you it's. It will be challenging and I'm quite sure it'll be pretty hot in Texas on August 29th. So we'll have to, we'll have to be ready for that. But it's is. It also is exciting and truthfully I kind of like it more so than opening up maybe with your FCS opponent that some do and we've done. I think, I think our kids will be. They better have their full attention locked on our preparation all throughout fall camp because it will be a very difficult opener.
- [34:52]
Brent Rollins
That defensive line group coach with. With McLeod off to the NFL is. Is there a lot of it was edge pressure and you look back like the interior guys. Not a lot of pressure or production from the interior. Who is. Who are you looking at saying hey look, I need you to step up, be somebody who can be an impact guy as a, as a rusher on the interior, your defensive line because you've. You are so strong on the edge.
- [35:15]
Hugh Freeze
Here's what I think. I may put my glasses back on David, so I can see my depth chart here. I hate forgetting people. As I get older, my mind I'll get through and forget people. But I think on the edge between Amaras and Keldrick and Chris, I think, you know, we, we just, I think and Kieran Crawford, I think those four guys are going to provide the rush. Here's what I think about us inside. I wish I could say, man, we've got to, you know, elite dudes that I don't know that they've proven that they're that yet. But here's what I do believe. I believe with the way Durkin runs his defense and calls it, I think we're six deep in there of really solid bodies that if, man, if they play with the motor and energy and passion we want them to play with, we're going to be fine. Malik blocked in the freshman last year who did have some sacks. I do think he's the most explosive of those guys right now. But I'm really excited about the. These two transfers we got also and, and these young kids are going to be really good. And I've said, man, if we just have time to build and develop these young kids, I really believe they're going to be. That we're going to be fine in there, but excited about Jay Harden, James Ash and Dallas Walker. Those three, those three guys that we, you know, brought in late in the transfer portal world who gives us big heavy handed bodies and you don't need any more Minute, just give us 15 snaps of incredible energy, passion and, and doing the right job. And you know, with Malik and, and Bobby returning, you got two proven guys there that have played a lot of snaps. And then you throw in, heck, those two young guys in Autry and Crawford, who I think are going to be super talented again. I just, I feel like we're deeper there than we've been and we got to convince them to buy in to play the number of snaps you have to play and do them at a high, high level.
- [37:42]
Brent Rollins
So, Coach, you mentioned a lot of people are talking about your golf game and obviously it's sort of talking season and media days are coming up next week. Do you have a, like, do you plan like, hey, I've got a speech or I'm just gonna wing it or I'm gonna. How do you go about prepping for the event that it now has now become SEC media days?
- [38:03]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, I really have never been a big planner for that. I just kind of like to be transparent and truthful. And I know that, you know, people, this is that time where people are looking for things to write about. And I do love golf. I enjoy playing. It gets away. But, but what, what people don't realize is it's probably, you know, I assure you I never missed a camp day or a recruiting day or. But if camp got over at 3 o' clock one day and Jill and I go out at 4:30, we absolutely might do that. And, and I'm not apologizing for that part of it, but my focus is 100% on getting Auburn in that win column this fall. And I do think I, I think the biggest thing that's causing most of it is the recruiting rankings right now because we've been top 10, you know, my two years here in recruiting and, and currently we're not. And good Lord, we could spend 30 minutes on why I think that is. But there's a lot of people right now that are operating under a different set of rules on what their interpretation is of this settlement and, and how you should operate. And I'm on. Operate in the manner that our administration has interpreted it. And we'll see. I think it's a long game play for us that I think is going to work out in our favor because we're doing it very transparent and the way we believe the settlement is written to operate, if that makes any sense. And the other thing that nobody talks about, y' all may. I don't listen to much. I'm not on social media more. My daughter does it? And, but is, well, Freeze is not getting this receiver in state and he's not getting, you know, do y' all realize on paper I'm not losing a single receiver? And so how do you do. This is not like David in the old days where you just sign 25 guys and then you figure out, you know, who the 85 are. This is actually a salary cap world. And I like our receiver room and how do I go and, and make offers to other receivers at numbers that these other schools are. When I'm like, come January, I kind of want to keep the one I have. Does that make sense? I don't think the fine moms of the world or any of them think about all that. They just say he's playing golf and not recruiting. And so, and it's just a lot of dynamics that are into it right now. And I'm, I'm confident that our staff, we have not changed a single approach to our recruiting. People love it when they come to Auburn, but there's just a lot of dynamics that go into their decisions currently. And come August 1st, everybody's got to put this in writing now and it will. We'll see where everything shakes out after that. How in the world are you going to convince a third five star quarterback to come to you when you have Jackson Arnold and Deuce Knight? How do you do that? Not only how do you do that, but how do you fund it under if, if we're really operating under a true salary cap where we have no idea what an nil value is until Deloitte decides that, which is our interpretation of the new rules. How do you do that? You can't. I mean, I've sent my general manager to the NFL teams and we know how much percentage goes in a running back room, we know how much percentage goes in a quarterback room, we know how much percentage goes in a D line room. And to your point, you better be, you better be figuring out how in the world come January do I retain that D lineman that has the experience that I need. And if you promised all of that already to a freshman, that's an issue. And so it's complicated. And the biggest thing, the calendar so messed up. You're asking us to sign a class in December and I won't know who my roster is until January. So how do you, how do you do that? You know, I don't know who's turning pro and so you kind of have to speculate.
- [42:28]
Brent Rollins
So coach, you mentioned, and I think maybe in a past thing about how this season and the victories and how things. Success on the field will aid in that. So what does success this year look like for you?
- [42:45]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah, we embrace the expectations. I don't get into the. These people that talk about pressure or. Listen, man, I have long since decided. Well, not long. This was probably four years ago. I may have told David this. I can't remember. But my story and my wife's story, my family's story is a God story. He is the author. And. And my answer is yes to that. Okay. And I don't even know what the question is, but my answer is yes. And I don't even have a seat at the table to write the story. It. I don't even have a pen to write the story. It's not mine to write. And so when I approach it like that, I don't have the pressure or any of that. At the same time, I'm a realist. And Auburn's a place that has to win. And I believe we're going to. I think we finally have enough depth and talent that. I mean, we were. Listen, we can't run from the fact that the last two years there were six games that we easily could have won. I'm not saying that we should have, but we easily could have won six more football games last year. Four. That totally changes the whole dynamic of things. We didn't have our kicker last year. I think that cost us three games, truthfully. We had three opportunities to go up two scores in SEC games and miss field goals. That changed the whole dynamic of the game. And he's back, by the way. What a great story that is. I mean, you know, him having most of his colon removed and having to sit out last year and the guys choosing not to have the rest of the surgeries that would prepare him to function normally just so he can play. And that. That speaks volumes of Alex and his character and his love for Auburn. But I don't give in to the pressure of all of that. But at the same time, I embrace the expectations. I want them and I want our kids to want them. And I sense something different in the confidence level of our staff and the chemistry and the culture has grown. Certainly we're not perfect. We have kids that make mistakes, and that will continue as long as you're coaching and you have to make tough decisions sometimes. But for the most part, man, I love the leadership of our team. I like this roster and I'm excited to see what they do on the field.
- [45:25]
David Pollock
All right, coach, we're going to let you out Here with this. Just because you kind of talked about all kinds of different things, you know, getting a diagnosis that you got recently, how does that, how does that change you as a coach? And the way you lead, the way you talk, does that make you different, knowing, I mean, you're fighting cancer, obviously, that's a, that's a battle that you're going to have to fight. Like, does that make you, you lead a little bit different and look at life different?
- [45:46]
Hugh Freeze
Yeah. Well, you certainly could, could speak on that probably more than I can. And my prayers with you and your wife as y', all, y' all walk through that, but that's. That you, you don't want to hear that word. You don't, you don't want to hear that word. And when you get that word and you feel healthy and you're enjoying the life with you, I can truly say that Jill is like my best friend. Like, we're closer than I've ever been, and we're enjoying doing life together. And I've got grandbabies now and another one on the way. And then you get this report and you're like, whoa, are you sure now? Because I feel good. I, I, I, My weight's good. I'm in shape right now. And, and are, Are you sure on this? And you come back to. Again, man, I don't. Have a seat. This is not a negotiation on how my story goes. It's. I've submitted that and surrendered that to, to my faith in God through Jesus Christ. And, and he, he writes the story and is part of the story. And so I've got to walk through that faithfully, whatever that looks like. We're still kind of processing that. I've got a great team of doctors. They feel like I'm, they caught it early enough that I'm fine to wait until January to really start, which would be a better month for me than right now before the season. And so we're doing regular blood checks to make sure nothing's, you know, spiking or, and actually, my last blood test, my PSA went down, so we're praying and, and, and who knows what's going to happen? But that'll be part of our, our story one day when we see how, how it plays out. But we're going to revisit that in January. We're monitoring it. Don't get me wrong. We're not ignoring it. We're monitoring it. And then, But January, we really think, is when we kind of will attack it.
- [47:46]
David Pollock
But SEC football waits for nothing. That's that? That. That if y' all didn't hear anything in this whole interview, like, hey, we'll worry about the treatment down the road, but worry about January because we're going to try to win some football games. And so, like, I'd say that's pretty good commitment. Coach, we appreciate your time, man, and.
- [48:04]
Hugh Freeze
Best of luck this season, man. Thank you, guys. Y' all been awesome.