With signing day and the transfer window fast approaching, Hugh Freeze and the Auburn coaching staff are busy with a number of things before even getting to the team’s three remaining games .

Now, in the new era of college football, add maintaining and recruiting your own team to that list of off-field tasks. When asked about it on Monday, Freeze said those conversations with players have already started.

“You already have to actively engage in recruiting conversations about your current team, which isn’t a lot of fun and it’s not something I know a coach is really meant to do, but that’s what it is,” Freeze said.

Freeze said most of those conversations come through Auburn’s personnel office and the On To Victory team, Auburn’s name, image and likeness collective.

“I’m grateful for them and I don’t have to engage in most of them because it would be really, really hard to do and difficult because you want to have authentic, real relationships built on trust and communication.” Freeze said. “And that’s increasingly difficult to do if you have to deal with every facet and every aspect of today’s game.

“So, I mean, obviously you’re involved at some point. I’m going to have to be. But you hope that a lot of this can be handled by our people involved in other areas than just coaching.

In addition to re-recruiting the current roster, Auburn is in the final stretch to maintain its top five high school recruiting classes. With the signing period beginning Dec. 4, Freeze stressed the importance of finishing strong in recruiting, adding that the team’s final three games can help build momentum.

“Recruiting is also important,” Freeze said. “I’m trying to finish strong and continue to make Class 25 understand that we’re not far away and we need their help to help us continue this build.”

The three-game stretch begins with a non-conference home game against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Kick-off is scheduled for 11:45 a.m.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on @peter_rauterkus or send him an email to [email protected]m