Former Auburn Tigers quarterback Robby Ashford has suggested that Hugh Freeze was not truthful with him during his time at Auburn. After a standout career at Hoover High School in Alabama, Ashford initially joined the Oregon Ducks in 2020, where he spent two seasons without playing in games before transferring back to Auburn to play under Bryan Harsin.
Following Harsin’s dismissal after the 2022 season, Hugh Freeze took over and brought in former Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne from the transfer portal, who ultimately won the starting position despite Ashford’s prior experience with the team.
As of 2024, Ashford has transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks, led by head coach Shane Beamer, and has voiced strong criticism of his former coach, Hugh Freeze.
In an article by Joseph Griffin on www.si.com, Robby Ashford praised coaches Bryan Harsin and Shane Beamer but did not mention Hugh Freeze.
Ashford remarked, “The only true opportunity I’ve gotten from a coach who has genuinely made it a competition was with Bryan Harsin during my first year at Auburn. I have a lot of respect for him for that. Coach Beamer also conveyed a similar commitment to competition, and I trusted him because it felt genuine, unlike what I had experienced with other coaches who might have just been giving empty promises.”
Although Ashford might have also been referring to Mario Cristobal, who coached him during his initial seasons at Oregon, it’s more likely that he was criticizing Freeze, as Cristobal was not the main coach in question for this issue.
Why did Robby Ashford suggest that Hugh Freeze was not honest with him?
The exact reason behind Robby Ashford’s implication that Hugh Freeze was not honest is unclear, as we are not privy to their private discussions. However, Ashford did have opportunities to prove himself on the field for the Tigers in 2023.
Under Freeze, Ashford played in various packages and even started at quarterback in the game against Ole Miss. During that game, he completed 3 of 4 passes for 22 yards and rushed eight times for 27 yards.
Throughout the season, Ashford was frequently utilized in package plays, mainly as a runner. He scored five rushing touchdowns during the season.
