Hugh Freeze’s contract to be the head coach at Auburn is for six years and worth $6.5 million annually, according to contract details released by the school Friday. Here’s what you need to know:

  • The deal includes a $225,000 retention bonus each Feb. 1.
  • The buyout for Freeze to leave for another school starts at $5 million.
  • Freeze is the 31st coach in Auburn football history.

Gus Malzahn’s Auburn buyout: 75% of remaining contract, no offset.

Bryan Harsin’s Auburn buyout: 70% of remaining contract, no offset.

Hugh Freeze’s Auburn buyout is… 75% of remaining contract, no offset.

(Auburn is currently paying Malzahn/Harsin around $37 million)

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) April 21, 2023

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Where does Freeze’s salary rank in the SEC?

The $6.5 million annual salary puts him ninth among SEC public schools, ahead of South Carolina’s Shane Beamer ($6.2 million), Arkansas’ Sam Pittman ($6 million) and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz ($6 million). Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel both got big raises this season to $9 million — Kiffin was a one-time favorite to get the Auburn job. Leading the way are Alabama’s Nick Saban ($11.7 million) and Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($11.2 million). — Vannini

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What else is notable about Freeze’s contract?

If you thought Auburn learned from its last two coaching contracts, think again. Both Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin were owed at least 70 percent of their remaining contract, without any offset from another job, totaling around $37 million combined after they were fired. Freeze’s buyout would pay him 75 percent of the remaining contract if fired without cause, also without any offset. The only difference is Freeze’s buyout would be paid in equal monthly installments, while Malzahn and Harsin were owed 50 percent of the buyout within 30 days of being fired.

Freeze’s contract also includes lengthy and standard clauses about personal conduct, in similar wording as Harsin’s previous contract. — Vannini

Backstory

Auburn hired Freeze on Nov. 28, 2022. Auburn was searching for a new coach after firing Harsin on Oct. 31 following a tumultuous 21-game tenure in which he compiled a 9-12 record overall.

Freeze, 53, joins Auburn after four seasons as the head coach at Liberty. He was the Ole Miss head coach from 2012-16 and led Arkansas State in 2011.

In Freeze’s first season at Liberty, the Flames qualified for their first bowl game in school history. Freeze spent four seasons with the Flames and went 8-4 in 2022 with a standout win against Arkansas. However, in Liberty’s last game of the 2022 regular season, Liberty was blown out 49-14 at home against New Mexico State.

Before joining Liberty, Freeze led Ole Miss into the top 10 and beat Nick Saban’s Alabama team twice as the Rebels’ head coach. He resigned from Ole Miss before fall camp in 2017 due to personal misconduct issues tied to an escort service amid an NCAA investigation into the program. He was hired by Liberty in December 2018.

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(Photo: Todd Van Emst / AP)