College football coaches are raking in the dough. Some of them make more than doctors, techies, and even CEOs! The SEC, especially, loves to pay its coaches big bucks. And one of the most intriguing coaches in the SEC is Hugh Freeze. The HC came to the Auburn Tigers with high expectations to change the culture and direction of the team. His performance has mixed signals for the fans. Some fans are trying to be patient, and the majority are running out of it. Well, some fans are even keen to know what his salary looks like!

This week, Auburn hit a new low under Hugh Freeze in the Tigers’ 17-7 loss to Vanderbilt. Under his tenure, the Tigers went 9-13, which is worse than his predecessor Bryan Harsin (9-12). The Tigers aren’t simply getting the return on investment (ROI) from their HC Hugh Freeze. In November 2022, Auburn and Freeze reached a contract agreement that extends through January 2029, following his hiring in November 2022. His contract spans seven years, featuring an impressive annual salary of $6.5 million, with Freeze receiving his first retention payment of $225,000 on February 1.

For the 2024 season, Freeze’s total compensation amounts to $6,728,100. This includes a base salary of $6,725,000 from Auburn University, along with an additional $3100 extra pay for miscellaneous. Freeze also has the potential to earn a maximum bonus of $3,300,000, which ties to his team’s performance on the field, which is very unlikely for him to achieve that bonus now. 

However, Hugh Freeze receives a $225,000 retention bonus on the 1st of February each year. This incentive should motivate him to stay further and improve the team. In 2023-2024, the HC even earned a bonus of $300,000, thanks to the Tigers making it to the Music City Bowl. But the Tigers lost to the Maryland Terrapins 31-13 in the Music City Bowl, and the agreement included establishing a buyout clause. And if the Auburn Tigers choose to terminate Hugh Freeze’s contract before December 1, they would owe him $20,312,500. That’s a lot of money! Now, where do these kinds of massive paydays put him on the list of highest-paid college football coaches?

Where does Hugh Freeze rank?

The coaches in the SEC are generally paid well because of the pressure and competition involved in this conference. SEC is filled with top-tier coaches like Mike Elko, Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, Lane Kiffin, Kalen DeBoer, and so on. Freeze is one of the top earners in college football, but within his conference, his pay ranks on the lower side. He’s the 12th highest-paid coach in the SEC, with only Sam Pittman (Arkansas), Shane Beamer (South Carolina), and Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State) earning less than him.

According to USA Today, Hugh Freeze is 25th among the highest-paid coaches. Not bad, considering coaches like Curt Cignetti (Indiana), who are undefeated (9-0) and still earning comparatively less than Hugh Freeze. The highest paid in the entire CFB is none other than Kirby Smart with a total pay of $13.2 million, followed by Dabo Swinney with $11.1 million and then Steve Sarkisian with $10.6 million.

However, college football coaches are paid and rewarded handsomely, but it comes at a price. The pressure is immense, and the hours are long. Coaches like Hugh Freeze are feeling the heat right now. With a 3-6 record and struggling to recruit top talent, it’s clear that things aren’t going as planned. Will he be able to turn things around?