Former Ole Miss and now-Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze has been diagnosed with cancer, according to an official announcement on Friday.
Auburn Athletics released a statement informing that Freeze had been diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer and is expected to make a full recovery. He will continue coaching the Tigers while undergoing treatment.
“Recently, Coach Freeze was diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer. Thankfully, it was detected early and his doctors advised that it is very treatable and curable,” the statement reads. “He will continue his normal coaching duties and responsibilities, and with forthcoming proper treatment, is expected to make a full recovery.
“Coach Freeze is incredibly appreciative of our medical professionals and has asked that we use his experiences as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing and scheduling annual health screenings.”
The Auburn Family is with you, Coach Freeze 🧡 pic.twitter.com/sYKWT4eJeV
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) February 28, 2025
Freeze, a Mississippi native who went on to graduate from Southern Miss, began his coaching career on the high school level at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tenn. Winning two state championships and coaching Michael Oher along the way, Freeze was hired as an assistant coach at Ole Miss in 2005.
He then made stops at Lambuth University and Arkansas State before being hired as the head coach at Ole Miss in 2011. He led the Rebels to four winning records across five seasons, including four bowl appearances and a 2016 Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma State.
While his departure from Oxford was plagued by recruiting violations, Freeze found his feet again when he was hired as the head coach at Liberty in 2018. He turned four winning seasons and three bowl wins with the Flames into a much-anticipated return to the SEC when Auburn announced Freeze as its newest head coach in November 2022.
Freeze is now heading into his third season with the Tigers after taking the team to the Music City Bowl in 2023 before an underwhelming 2024 campaign. His overall record as a head coach is 94-57.
