Auburn hires Liberty’s Hugh Freeze, who’s coming back to SEC

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

Auburn hired Liberty coach Hugh Freeze to take over the football program more than five years after his resignation from SEC West rival Mississippi amid both personal and NCAA scandals. 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. He replaces Bryan Harsin, who was fired after going 9-12 in less than two seasons at a proud program that has fallen on hard times. Freeze called Auburn “one of the preeminent programs in college football.”