Skip to content

Saban appears to confirm reports SEC discouraged potential Freeze hiring

Spruce Derden / USA TODAY Sports

Alabama head coach Nick Saban all but confirmed reports Tuesday that he was discouraged by the SEC from hiring controversial coach Hugh Freeze to his staff.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Hugh Freeze as a coach," Saban said, according to Mark Inabinett of AL.com. "I think he did a fabulous job when he was at Ole Miss. He has been a friend that I've shared ideas with and spent time with and know his family, as (wife) Miss Terry does know his family. So we have a tremendous amount of respect for him. We also have a lot of respect for the SEC and what they think is, in some cases, best for the league relative to circumstances that people created for themselves."

Freeze, who scored back-to-back victories over Saban's Crimson Tide in 2014 and 2015, appeared set to join his staff until SEC commissioner Greg Sankey reportedly intervened.

Ole Miss parted ways with Freeze ahead of the 2017 season amid a discovery in his phone records that tied him to an escort service in Florida. Freeze was also the primary character in the Rebels' recruiting scandal.

"I have a lot of respect for Hugh, and I think he'll be back in our profession, and we wish him and his family the very best, and if we can do anything to help him, we'll be happy to do that," Saban added.

Freeze compiled a 39-25 record at Ole Miss from 2012-16, peaking in 2015 with 10 wins and a Sugar Bowl title.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox