Year one of Hugh Freeze’s tenure at Auburn has been up and down, but it has undoubtedly been an improvement over his predecessor. Freeze is attempting to revitalize a stagnating program as the SEC becomes more stringent than ever in 2024.
The former coaches on this list shared the same ambition but fell far short. Auburn football has been an SEC institution throughout its existence, with few disastrous seasons. Auburn’s record books are replete with 10-win seasons and big-time bowl games under Gus Malzahn, Gene Chizik, and Tommy Tuberville this century, as well as Pat Dye and Ralph Jordan the previous one, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing down south.
Freeze may not win a national championship like Jordan or Chizik, or even make it to the final game like Malzahn, but he must remain off this list if he hopes to establish himself in a program with high expectations.
Ralph Jordan led the Auburn Tigers to the national championship in 1957, his seventh year, but his 27-year reign ended in 1975, and his replacement lasted only seven seasons. Doug Barfield succeeded Jordan and led Auburn to only two winning seasons in five years.
Prior to becoming head coach, Barfield served as Jordan’s offensive coordinator in 1974 and 1975.
His teams never made it to a bowl game, and he concluded with a 27-27-1 record. Ole Miss forfeited multiple games during that time period, resulting in an official record of 29-25-1. He was over.500, but his 0-5 record in the Iron Bowl, in addition to his mediocrity, was the reason for his abrupt dismissal. In the SEC, if you can’t beat your fiercest adversary, you lose your job.
