Hugh Freeze Must Not Let Kirby Smart Outmaneuver Him Again in the Transfer Portal
Auburn hired Hugh Freeze to compete with Georgia, not to continually lose to Kirby Smart in every aspect of the game.
As the College Football Playoff approaches, programs like Georgia are closely watching who enters the transfer portal. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has experienced a mix of successes and failures within the transfer portal, landing talents like Trevor Etienne while missing on players like Jamie Newman. Nonetheless, Smart actively engages in the ongoing transfer portal era of college football.
In contrast, Hugh Freeze was not as proactive in the transfer portal last season as he should have been. Auburn missed the opportunity to upgrade at quarterback over Payton Thorne, which may have limited their chances at achieving bowl eligibility this year—though Thorne wasn’t the sole reason for the team’s struggles.
With that in mind, it’s worth noting that both Auburn and Georgia are in the running for former Oklahoma starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, as reported by Pete Nakos of On3. Arnold, who grew up in Atlanta before moving to Texas, is now a target for both teams. While Georgia needs to replace Carson Beck after this season, Auburn has significant needs to address.
Despite Auburn’s more urgent quarterback requirements, Georgia remains the stronger team.
Hugh Freeze Can’t Afford to Let Kirby Smart Land Jackson Arnold
It’s unclear if Freeze enters the next season on the hottest seat, but it’s clear that Auburn must perform or face serious consequences. Athletic director John Cohen left his position at Mississippi State to bring Freeze on board with expectations of making waves in the SEC. This hire was meant to instill fear in Auburn’s rivals.
To his credit, Freeze has had to work with a depleted roster left by Bryan Harsin. Transitioning the roster was always going to take time, and given Freeze’s history of success at previous stops, there is still hope that he can turn things around. However, he must start consistently beating rival teams like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU. Landing Arnold could be a crucial step in that direction.
If Arnold transfers to Auburn, he would likely become the frontrunner for the starting quarterback position next season. While it remains to be seen if he lives up to the high expectations set during his recruitment, Arnold would certainly be an improvement over Auburn’s current quarterback options. On the other hand, Georgia still has Gunner Stockton, Jaden Rashada, and other options to consider beyond Beck.
