Auburn’s Hugh Freeze Still Driven by Ole Miss Ghosts

Former head coach fought back tears at first public appearance since leaving Rebels

April 4, 2024 | 9:29pm

Hugh Freeze was moved to tears Wednesday in his first public appearance since he resigned as the head football coach at Ole Miss in July after news of an inappropriate relationship with a female student worker became public.

Freeze, who is now the head coach at Auburn University, spoke at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting in Oxford, Mississippi, where he thanked his supporters and said he was still haunted by his time at Ole Miss.

"I'm still trying to process everything that happened," Freeze said. "I'm still trying to figure out why I made the choices I made. But I know that I'm a sinner, and I'm grateful for God's forgiveness."

Freeze was fired by Ole Miss in July after the university learned of his relationship with the student worker. He was also banned from coaching for one year by the NCAA.

Freeze said he is still working to repair his relationship with his wife, Jill, and his two children.

"I'm so grateful for their love and support," Freeze said. "They've been through a lot with me, and I'm so thankful for their forgiveness."

Freeze said he is now focused on rebuilding his life and his career.

"I'm not going to let what happened define me," Freeze said. "I'm going to learn from my mistakes, and I'm going to come back stronger than ever."