Hugh Freeze dealing with social media questions after Auburn hiring

Controversial new Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze is denying a report that he had to cede control of his social media accounts upon taking the job.

Freeze, the former Liberty and Ole Miss coach, responded to a report in Sports Illustrated that his hiring at Auburn was contingent on him staying off social media.

“That’s not accurate,” Freeze said, per The Athletic. “There may be some wisdom in it, though.”

The 53-year-old has gotten into trouble at basically every stop of his NCAA career – but most recently on Twitter. Earlier in 2022, Chelsea Andrews – one of 20 women who sued Liberty over the school’s alleged mishandling of sexual assault and misconduct – posted a screengrab purported to be a direct message from Freeze defending Ian McCaw, the athletic director at the center of the scandal.

“You don’t even know Ian McCaw. He is the most Jesus like leader I have…” the preview of the message made available in the screenshot reads.

McCaw was also the athletic director at Baylor during their wide-ranging sexual assault scandal and resigned in 2016, along with head football coach Art Briles, after being accused of taking part in the cover-up.

Freeze, 53, has plenty of additional baggage. He resigned in disgrace from Ole Miss in 2016 over numerous recruiting and academic violations, as well as using a university-issued phone to call an escort service.

He’s now back in the SEC spotlight after taking the Auburn job. The university fired head coach Bryan Harsin after compiling a 9-12 record in less than two seasons, and hired Freeze over the weekend.

Freeze went 34-15, including three bowl wins, in his time at Liberty.

It remains to be seen if he can restrain his Twitter fingers.