Context:

Hugh Freeze, the Auburn Tigers' head coach, is under pressure to achieve at least an eight-win season in 2025 to secure his position, with much of the team's success depending on quarterback Jackson Arnold. Arnold, previously the Gatorade Player of the Year, has shown significant promise in spring training, demonstrating strong arm talent, mobility, and football intelligence, though his confidence is crucial for his continued development. Additionally, freshman quarterback Duece Knight, ranked fifth in his class, has been performing well since joining the team and has benefited from increased practice reps alongside Arnold. The team's schedule for 2025 appears manageable, providing an opportunity for Auburn to secure necessary wins. Freeze's optimism is fueled by the potential of his quarterbacks, which may be the key to the team's success and his continued tenure as head coach.

Dive Deeper:

• Hugh Freeze's coaching position with the Auburn Tigers is contingent upon achieving at least eight wins in the 2025 season, with a significant focus on the performance of quarterback Jackson Arnold.

• Jackson Arnold, who was named Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, has impressed during spring training with his arm strength, athleticism, and strategic understanding of the game, but he must build confidence to excel.

• Freshman quarterback Duece Knight, a highly-ranked recruit, joined the Tigers after switching his commitment from Notre Dame and has shown promising results during practice sessions.

• Freeze has expressed confidence in both Arnold and Knight, noting that their extensive practice reps have been beneficial for their development and readiness for the upcoming season.

• The Auburn Tigers' 2025 schedule is perceived as relatively favorable, presenting an opportunity for the team to achieve the necessary wins to meet season expectations.

• Freeze's future with Auburn is closely tied to the success of his quarterbacks, particularly Arnold, whose potential could be pivotal in turning around the team's performance.

• The strategic focus on developing Arnold and Knight reflects Freeze's belief in their capabilities to lead the team effectively, representing the foundation of his hopeful outlook for the season.

• Hugh Freeze is on the early hot-seat list heading into the 2025 season, and he will need at least an eight-win season with the Auburn Tigers to get his name off of it. 

• His saving grace at this time seems to be how well his QB room does, especially how Jackson Arnold leads the team.

• Earlier in April, Freeze issued an update on how Arnold's training is looking.

• So far, the Tigers' head coach has had a positive review of his practice sessions.

• "Really excited about Jackson," Freeze told Paul Finebaum on his show. "Just needed, probably, a restart for whatever reason. And I’m just excited about what I saw. He’s got the arm talent, he’s got the legs, he’s got the football IQ. And I think he just needs confidence and I think that confidence grew this spring along with his rapport with our receivers.

• "Jackson, obviously, has all the tools to, to be a, one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, in my opinion. I think he, you know, coming out of high school, obviously, was Gatorade Player of the Year. But truthfully, you probably don’t, you know, regain or gain that confidence and swagger until we really get into the bows and have success."

• Duece Knight is another QB that Freeze will rely on. Although a freshman, Knight is ranked the fifth-best QB in the Class of 2025, who joined the Tigers' QB room in October 2024 after flipping his commitment from Notre Dame. 

• Interestingly, Knight's drills have been going well too.

• "But I’m really confident with what I saw, in him and Deuce, throughout the spring. I thought he and Deuce [Knight] was, we were able to just – we only had those two guys here so they got all the reps and I think that was a good thing," Freeze said.

• That said, Auburn's 2025 schedule looks relatively doable.

• We'll see how easy — or tricky those wins would come for Freeze's program.