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Auburn’s 10-3 loss to Kentucky last Saturday marked Hugh Freeze’s final game at the helm of the Tigers football program.
“Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we appreciate his investment in Auburn and his hard work over the past three years to strengthen our roster,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement Sunday.
Madi Freeze, the daughter of the former Auburn coach, revealed she was concerned about her father’s well-being in the months leading up to his firing.
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Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze on the field before a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
In a video posted on social media, Madi said her father’s health deteriorated in the months following an early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Freeze’s diagnosis was made public in February.
Thanks to early detection, doctors believe Freeze’s cancer “is very treatable and curable,” according to a school statement. At the time, the 56-year-old was given the green light to continue his coaching duties while undergoing treatment.
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“In a way, there is relief for me personally because I have seen my father’s health deteriorate because of this,” she said in a video shared on TikTok. “Other people can see it, I know you all can see it, he’s not healthy.”
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze talks with a game official during the third quarter against the South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 13, 2025. (John Reed/Imagn Images)
She added that Freeze would have to undergo procedures. “I’m grateful that there is relief because my father can finally have the surgeries he needs, and they are scheduled, and he will get healthy again.”
Madi attends Auburn. Although she expressed admiration for the school, she also suggested that her father was not fully appreciated during his coaching tenure.
“We loved Auburn, and the second we got here, everyone was very adamant that if you love Auburn, they would love you back,” she said. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for us… We don’t wish them harm, but we hope they will turn to the Lord and find Jesus.”
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze leaves the field after a loss to Kentucky in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Auburn, Alabama. (AP Photo/Dill Butch)
Freeze left Liberty after the 2022 season and joined Auburn. He coached the Tigers to a 6-7 record in his first season on the sidelines. Auburn has won five games under Freeze in 2024.
Auburn fell to 4-5 on the year after the Week 10 loss to the Wildcats.
Freeze finished his two seasons at Auburn with a 15-19 record.
