LAKE MARTIN, Ala. — Auburn football recruiting is struggling at the moment. There’s no question about that.

In December of 2024, Auburn was Top 10 in the early 2026 team rankings. Fast forward to the start of June and the Tigers were still Top 15 nationally. But one month later as July begins, Auburn has fallen to No. 73 in the team rankings with only six commitments.

It’s been a rough month to say the least, with de-commitments and priority targets going elsewhere.

On Wednesday, at a speaking engagement in Alexander City, Ala., head coach Hugh Freeze and Director of Athletics John Cohen met the media and addressed recruiting concerns. They offered some reasoning for the struggles, as well as optimism for what Auburn can still accomplish.

Most of it centers around the new world of NIL, the new House settlement, and how Auburn is approaching discussing potential NIL offers with prospective student-athletes.

“First of all, you want to make sure you are operating with what the settlement says. We think we are. You know, we’re going by what we believe to be the accurate interpretation of it. It’s not really to our advantage to what we’re doing right now, because others, I think, are operating in a different manner,” Freeze said.

“You have to operate within the manner of what the settlement really says and the interpretation that we’ve received, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re talking about a staff that’s put together two Top 10 classes, and here we are, you know, we’re really not in that realm right now.”

One point Freeze made was in regards to the salary cap (revenue sharing cap), saying because of the new cap, the ability to simply stockpile high school talent is more difficult, if most of a position group is returning the next season. With NIL guarantees in place, creating a log jam of talent won’t work because of the cap.

“You don’t have the means, so to speak, to go after the number of high school receivers that you would normally go after because you can’t really. On paper, we aren’t losing one, and I don’t want to lose one,” Freeze said.

When asked how comfortable he was with his and the administration’s strategy, he believes in the vision, despite recent setbacks.

“I mean, it’s hard to feel great when you’re not one of the top ranked recruiting classes and I think Auburn should be. But I’m confident in our administration and the way that they lead and trust them immensely that we’re doing things the right way,” said Freeze.

“And at the end of the day that’s really what we have to do, in my opinion, is we can’t put ourselves in jeopardy. We’ve got great interpretations from our administration and our legal team on what the settlement really means and how we should operate, and that’s what we’re doing. And if others are operating in a manner not with that, I’m hopeful that they’ll be called out on that at some point.

“It does seem kind of strange that we’re like some of the lowest range of numbers. I mean, we’re like, you know, really, really low compared to some. And I’m trying to figure that out, but I do think it will shake out in the long run, but it is complicated and hard to sit there and feel great about.

“But I feel great about our relationships and I feel great about Auburn, and I know the families know that. And I do think just after we win games this fall, which I’m confident we will, I think it’ll all kind of shake itself out.”

Despite the perceived struggles, Freeze feels confident Auburn can still finish very strong when it’s all said and done.

“Do I think we will (have a Top 10 class) in in December? I do. I believe that wholeheartedly. We had over 50 visits in June, and I thought most families felt like, man, this is a great place to be, but we’ve got to figure all this other out,” Freeze said.

“And I know John’s going to talk more in depth about the parameters to which we’re operating, but it is more challenging, for sure. The main thing to me is retaining our current roster and then filling the gaps with obviously elite talent from whether it’s the portal or high school recruiting.

“But retaining that roster does affect the way you approach recruiting and that’s new. That used to not be the case. I mean, you were going to sign some kids and figure out the numbers on the back end, but you can’t do that when you have to be under the revenue sharing cap.”

Following Freeze’s comments, Cohen stepped in to answer some questions. The first question asked was similar to those asked of Freeze.

How assured does he feel in how Auburn was interpreting new rules around NIL?

Smiling, Cohen delivered remarks that portrayed confidence in how the administration was approaching everything.

The main point: August 1 is the first day recruits can receive written NIL offers for what they can expect to earn at a specific college. Until then, it’s all verbal offers. Cohen and Auburn believe when some programs begin to have to put their money where their mouth is, the written offers might not match the verbal offers.

There are other complexities and nuances, but the gist is, Freeze, Cohen and Auburn firmly believe they are attacking recruiting with prudence, and do not view their plan as a gamble by any means.

“We feel like August 1st is a big day coming up. For those of you who aren’t aware, and I’m sure you are aware, August 1st is the first day that a prospective student-athlete can receive an offer on paper. Okay, that’s a big day. It’s not rumor, it’s not innuendo, it’s not this person says this. It’s offer on paper. We’re a good distance away from August 1st, and we’re a really good distance away from December,” Cohen said.

“And we’re also operating, as you guys have been discussing, in a brand new landscape, a landscape in which you bring in somebody at a certain offer and guess what? The person at that position and their agents are going to look at a coaching staff and a GM and say, well, ‘I’m the starter at that position and that’s not my number.’ There’s some real things that are about to take place.

“There’s some really new things on the horizon that have never happened before. And I’m here to tell you we’re going to do this the right way. We’re going to do it just like Coach Freeze just mentioned. We’re going to be honest, we’re going to be forthright and we’re looking very much forward to August 1st and dates beyond.”

The million-dollar question is, what happens if the way Auburn administration is approaching things is wrong? What if other schools’ approach is right?

Cohen didn’t back down from the university’s stance.

“We’re going to cross that mountain when we get there. But just to be clear now, if there’s an offer in place, that is a third party offer from NIL Go, it has to count against the cap,” Cohen said.

“Let me illustrate. You have an $800,000 offer and school says we’re going to give you $400,000 in revenue share and we’re going to give you $400,000 through a third party. I’m not 100% sure that everybody in this country is operating under that premise, which is reality. And if at any point in time they go over that rev share number, which can reflect both the third party offer and the rev share offer, we’ve been told there’s some pretty harsh penalties that come with that.

“We at Auburn are going to take that very seriously, but we’re still going to win recruiting battles. We’re going to do it the right way. I can’t speak for the rest of the recruiting world, but I can tell you this. Auburn’s going to do it the right way.”

Auburn football will hold its annual spring game, otherwise known as A-Day, on Saturday at noon CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

This year’s format will be much different from years past. Normally, A-Day would consist of an intrasquad scrimmage. However, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze explains that the usual format does not fit this era of college football. He explained what fans can expect to see during his Thursday press conference.

“I hope (the fans) are not disappointed. I don’t think it’s wise for us to go out there and beat each other up. We’re already kind of banged up. It’ll be a normal practice like today, truthfully, if you got to see today. There will be some indo, skelly, and then our young guys will have a little live period and then we’re going to end with what we call redzone lockout, which will be a live period. First one to 18 wins. Offense gets the ball on the 25, you score a touchdown with an extra point, that’s seven. The defense stops you and you kick a field goal, that’s three points for the offense and four points for the defense. Miss the field goal, the defense gets seven or a stop somehow or turnover, they get seven. The first one to 18 wins that, and then end with an overtime period where we practice the overtime stuff. That’s what you can kind of expect. There will be a skelly drive a period or two where we have another chance to do some things where we are hopefully not too at risk to get injured. But we’ll end with that redzone lockout stuff going into an overtime period.”

Despite the new-look A-Day format, our writers still have plenty of thoughts leading up to Saturday’s action. From quarterbacks to win totals, here is what Auburn Wire writers Brian Hauch, Phillip Jordan, and Taylor Jones are looking for ahead of Saturday’s scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The new A-Day format is a sign of the times

A-Day will have a new format this season, which will feature a “one-hour” practice instead of the traditional scrimmage. How do you feel about the change?

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle

BH: While it’s unfortunate, I get it. I would have loved to see Deuce Knight lead an offense against Jackson Arnold on the other side, but the practice still serves as a nice exhibition for the fans making the trip to Auburn. If Hugh Freeze’s team ends up winning 10 or more games this year nobody should care.

PJ: It is just part of the changing landscape of college football and college sports. College football coaches by their nature can be paranoid about other teams trying to steal their players and tampering with the transfer portal. The fans are getting the bad side of the deal and losing the excitement of the game-like atmosphere of the A-Day Game.

TJ: Fans will miss out on their fix of college football competition in the spring. However, it is understandable why programs are searching for alternatives to the traditional spring format. Coaches will limit injuries while protecting themselves from possible poaching. It will be interesting to see if this is the new normal, or if spring games slowly fade away.

New year, new QB room

Auburn will have a brand new quarterback room this season with Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels, and Deuce Knight in competition for the starting role. Which QB do you see winning the job out of spring?

BH: Jackson Arnold should absolutely be pencilled in as the starting quarterback against Baylor at the end of August. Even if Knight lights the world on fire, Arnold brings the Tigers’ offense something it hasn’t had since Bo Nix.

PJ: Jackson Arnold should be the favorite to win the job due to his playing experience plus talent. However, if he struggles like he did at Oklahoma, Deuce Knight could overtake him.

TJ: Jackson Arnold has earned the right to a fair shot at a second chance. He was set up to fail last season at Oklahoma due to poor line play and injuries at receiver. Auburn’s experienced line and talented receivers could provide the new start he needs. However, Deuce Knight will also get his chance to shine in various moments this season.

A new way to Hunt (er)

Jarquez Hunter is out after an amazing career on the Plains. Who do you expect to receive the bulk of the carries this season?

BH: The departure of Jarquez Hunter may completely change the way Auburn attempts to move the chains in short yardage situations. I’d expect Damari Alston to get most of the work between the tackles, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a rotating committee of Jeremiah Cobb and Durell Robinson see plenty of snaps in hopes to open up the playbook.

PJ: Damari Alston should get most of the reps, but Durell Robinson out of UConn could be a huge factor.

TJ: Auburn will miss Hunter, but the room will be deep with Damari Alston, Jeremiah Cobb, and Durell Robinson, a UConn transfer. Cobb will get plenty of snaps in spring before Robinson arrives, but Robinson will need to quickly learn the scheme to see significant playing time this fall. This room will be deep and as dynamic as it has been in quite some time, but I see Alston carrying a majority of the load.

The offense goes as the line goes

Auburn will return most of its starting offensive line and will have two experienced transfers battling for the starting right tackle slot. How much do you see the offense improving this season with the experienced offensive line?

BH:Experience in the trenches is important, especially when the signal caller behind an offensive line is a new one. No matter who ends up getting the starting nod at quarterback for the Tigers, Conner Lew and company should be much better in protection than they were a season ago. Auburn’s offense has top quarter of the SEC potential, but a bad showing from the line could tank those high hopes by September.

PJ: Auburn will need to be better at protecting the quarterback this season. Last season, starting quarterback Payton Thorne was sacked 26 times and lost 169 yards. If that is a repeat with Jackson Arnold, it could be another long season for the Tigers.

TJ: The potential for Auburn to have its most dynamic offense is at its highest under Hugh Freeze, and offensive line play can make or break the trend. Having solid linemen such as Conner Lew and Bradyn Joiner will certainly help the Tigers in all aspects. Some would argue that Jackson Arnold may have the most pressure on him this fall. However, the offensive line will have equal, if not more, pressure than Arnold.

All eyes on defense

Which defensive group will you have your eye on this Saturday?

BH:The defensive backs, specifically the safeties, intrigue me the most. Anquon Fagens is likely to start as a true freshman, with fellow freshmen Eric Winters and Donovan Starr getting plenty of playing time behind him. Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford have proved themselves as corners, and that duo could provide elite shut down potential with solid safety help.

PJ: Linebackers will be the most interesting for me. This is the youngest group on the roster with Demarcus Riddick poised as the new leader. Some new faces will need to step up.

TJ: EDGE rushers will have my attention on Saturday. Jalen McLeod is out, but you will have two young guys in Jared Smith and Antonio Coleman who will look to break into the pass rush game this season. Will they make an immediate impact at EDGE like Keldric Faulk did two years ago?

Setting the win total

Hugh Freeze is still in the rebuilding stage, but has the program on a positive track due to his recruiting efforts. How many wins do you foresee the Tigers logging this season?

BH: With Georgia and Alabama set to enter Jordan-Hare this year, it’s hard not to dream about a College Football Playoff bid. If Jackson Arnold lives up to the hype these Tigers can win at least 10 games. Auburn most likely finishes with 9.

PJ:This team has the talent to win nine games, but will need to learn how to close games unlike last season.

TJ: On the safe side, I believe Auburn wins eight games this year. However, the borderline games with Baylor, Texas A&M, and Missouri have a great chance of bouncing Auburn’s way and could put them into College Football Playoff contention.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions.

This is an opinion column.

Fascinating times, indeed.

Here we are, a week away from SEC Media Days, the dawn of a new football season. Let the speculation begin!

For now, we’re talking about the even more distant future as recruiting news robs much of the oxygen.

And it’s the trend lines that are so … fascinating.

Alabama’s been on a recent tear with several five-star commitments. It currently has four (according to the 247Sports composite) or five (according to On3).

Either way, the Crimson Tide has more of the highest-ranked recruits than anyone in the nation and a class that ranks No. 5 according to both services.

Auburn is either No. 86 (247Sports) or No. 80 (On3).

The Tigers have just seven commits compared to Alabama’s 19. None of the other top 100 teams has fewer than eight pledges as of July 7.

Again, Auburn has seven.

That’s an outlier. A statistical anomaly that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

This is an Auburn program that, despite stagnant on-field momentum, has a recruiting tailwind. It signed the No. 8 class in the 247Sports composite last year as it dominated the roll tide rival with in-state talent.

Now it’s sandwiched between Texas State and San Jose State in the national rankings.

The Tigers are a distant 16th among the 16 SEC teams as none of their peers have fewer than 10 commits. Vanderbilt has 16. Now, they’re a very-Vanderbilt band consisting entirely of 3-star prospects, but they more than double Auburn’s seven.

What are we missing?

The situation — or at least the public perception of it — is dire enough to warrant a comment from Auburn athletics director John Cohen.

This is notable since Cohen isn’t the first to jump in front of microphones and cameras but he did just that last Wednesday at an event for donors in Alexander City.

His message: Wait for Aug. 1.

That’s the first day a 2026 recruit can receive a written scholarship offer that includes a revenue-sharing number.

“There are some real things that are about to take place,” Cohen told reporters Wednesday in Alexander City after describing a hypothetical scenario where a recruit receives a monetary offer higher than what a current starter is receiving.

Like Freeze’s comments from the same event, there were heavy implications of impropriety elsewhere.

“There are some really new things on the horizon that have never happened before,” Cohen continued. “And I’m here to tell you we’re going to do this the right way. We’re going to do it just like Coach Freeze just mentioned. We’re going to be honest. We’re going to be forthright and we’re looking very much forward to August the first and dates beyond.”

Neither Cohen, nor Freeze specifically said what they were doing that was right or what others were allegedly doing wrong.

The numbers behind the situation suggest that Auburn is taking this path alone. They’re currently outside any pattern or strategy that’s visible through oral commitments from rising high school seniors.

It’s also worth noting that Cohen is putting his name and reputation on the line by being so outspoken and breaking a pattern of operating outside the media landscape.

There’s certainly a united front behind this Auburn approach to Year 1 of the revenue-sharing era.

Still, Cohen was asked last Wednesday about the possibility that they’re taking the wrong approach and their peers who are lapping them in recruiting are right.

“Yeah, we’re going to cross that mountain when we get there,” Cohen said while saying any third-party NIL offer has to count against the revenue-sharing cap of $21.5 million.

“Let me illustrate,” he continued. “You have an $800,000 offer and school says we’re going to give you $400,000 in rev share. And we’re going to give you $400,000 through a third party. I’m not 100% sure that everybody in this country is operating under that premise. Which is reality.”

Interesting.

So we can set our watches for Aug. 1 to see if the world burns or if Auburn remains on its recruiting desert island.

One thing’s clear: The Tigers have pushed their chips to the center of this poker table with a rules interpretation that clearly differs from the pack.

No doubt an interesting time to be the most conservative recruiter on the block when trying to end a streak of four straight seven-loss seasons.

But here we are.

A fascinating time, indeed.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

Auburn’s athletic director says the Tigers are determined to do things “the right way.” Never mind that Auburn’s recruiting class ranks last in the SEC. Have patience. Athletic director John Cohen’s words echo the sentiments of coach Hugh Freeze, who admits Auburn’s recent approach is “not really to our advantage.”

Who cares about rules nowadays? Insisting on doing things “the right way” tends to be the battle cry from the basement.

On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams examine the situation at Auburn, where Freeze’s offseason golf handicap looks better than his recruiting class. Auburn’s recruiting stall comes on the heels of four straight losing seasons. More than the losses from yesteryear, though, Adams says he’s concerned about Freeze’s recent rhetoric, and he compares Freeze to a former SEC coach who’s since been fired.

Still, this is the kind of offseason storyline that can be smashed into irrelevance with a slew of August commitments, plus a Week 1 win against Baylor.

Later in the episode, the hosts explain why Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti keeps getting the College Football Playoff format debate wrong.

Auburn football is facing a tough recruiting stretch, and head coach Hugh Freeze is not holding back about the challenges.

As other programs ramp up their spending on NIL deals, Auburn is struggling to keep pace. Recent decommitments and missed targets have dropped the Tigers to the bottom of the SEC in the 2026 recruiting class rankings, raising questions about the program’s approach and future.

Auburn HC Hugh Freeze Points to NIL Funding Gap as Recruiting Setbacks Continue

Hugh Freeze has been vocal about the impact of NIL on Auburn’s recruiting efforts, saying the program’s limited NIL budget puts it at a disadvantage.

According to 247Sports, Auburn’s 2026 recruiting class is ranked 89th nationally and last in the SEC as of July 2025. The Tigers have just six commits, trailing every other conference school, with none of the others having fewer than nine.

The situation has worsened with a series of decommitments. Four-star prospects Denarius Gray and Shadarius Toodle both withdrew their pledges this week. Meanwhile, five-star targets Earnest Rankins and Cederian Morgan chose Florida State and Alabama, respectively, after previously listing Auburn among their finalists.

Freeze has pointed to Auburn’s NIL resources as a key reason for missing out on top recruits.

“We’re going by what we believe is the accurate interpretation of [the House v. NCAA settlement],” Freeze told On3’s Justin Hokanson. “It’s not really to our advantage right now.” He added that other programs “might not be operating the way Auburn is.”

With the recruiting landscape changing, Freeze said Auburn has shifted its NIL strategy. Instead of focusing on landing new recruits, the program is now prioritizing retaining players already on the roster.

“Retaining the roster does affect the way you approach recruiting, and that’s new,” Freeze said during the AMBUSH caravan in Alexander City. “You were gonna sign some kids and figure out the numbers on the back end, but you can’t do that when you have to be under the revenue sharing cap.”

KEEP READING: 2026 College Football Realignment

The third-year coach also acknowledged the challenges that come with the current system. He said, “If my understanding is correct, with everything we’ve heard, the penalties for going over the cap are not fun. You have to manage that.”

Freeze noted that it is difficult to justify adding new players at positions like quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive line when few are leaving. Last season, Freeze posted a 5-7 record at Auburn.