With its 28-14 loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, the Auburn Tigers“The 2024 season is over.

THE The Tigers finished with a 5-7 record. The potential for a stronger finish was there. They lost three games by a single score and two other games where they lost by 10 points.

Head coach Hugh Freeze used one word to sum up his second season at the helm of the program.

“Obviously, disappointing tonight. Disappointing season,” Freeze said. “Those who played their last game of eligibility in college football, we had some special, special young men in that group. I hate to see them hurt and not going out on a more positive note.

While things certainly could have gone better on the field for the Tigers in 2024, there are some positives to take from the second year of the Freeze era on the Plains.

“The relationships, first of all, that developed throughout the season,” Freeze said of his favorite thing about this season. “The favorite is obviously the last senior game at Jordan-Hare. Seeing the joy they got from this experience was pretty special.

Although results haven’t been much visible on the field for the Tigers this season, Freeze reminded his team that there’s more to life than football and results don’t define them as individuals.

“Ultimately, I hope they become real Auburn men in life, first and foremost,” Freeze said. “And I know the lessons we learned this year can help, because sometimes life isn’t fair and it hits you hard, and we’ve had some experiences with that. We can say that it is humiliating, frustrating.

With the season over, the attention of Freeze and company turns squarely to National Signing Day on Wednesday, December 4, with the goal of completing their recruiting efforts for the class of 2025 on a positive note.

“It’s hard to say. You’re optimistic about everything we’ve done, but how the hell do you really know that right now? » Said Freeze. “We just have to work until the end. The nice thing, as he mentioned earlier, is that there is also a portal that opens if you don’t get everyone you wanted.

Freeze is confident in the efforts he and his team have made on the recruiting trail and believes it will help the program get back on track in 2025.

“Well, that’s the goal and we feel better,” Freeze said. “We think we’re getting better with a lot of very talented young kids. Once again, we have to go and recruit. I’ve said it before, some of the teams we play, and in this particular game, they’ve had top 5 recruiting classes for many years in a row. We had a top 10 class and hopefully we’re gearing up for a second.