After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in February, Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze has a plan.
During a Tuesday, April 8, interview with ESPN, Freeze revealed that his doctors said his cancer was low aggressive, so he made the decision to wait until January of next year to reassess the situation instead of having surgery.
“I’m only 55,” Freeze told the outlet. “We’re a family of faith, and I just didn’t feel like it was time to rush into surgery. I’m at peace with it.”
Hugh has been married to his wife, Jill Freeze, since 1992 and the couple share 3 daughters: Ragan, 26, Jordan, 25, and Madison, 22.
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Last month, Hugh — who will enter his 3rd season as Auburn’s head coach this fall — addressed his cancer diagnosis for the first time.
“I struggle believing that I actually have cancer because I feel great,” he told reporters at the time. “I’m probably in better shape than I’ve been in ten years. So it’s a battle for me mentally. It’s a challenge. I had my 30 minutes to an hour of self pity and anger probably.”
He added, “Then truthfully I really flipped a switch and said I get a chance to practice what I preach for 33 years of how to walk through another challenge or gut punch that you get or news that you get that you don’t like. And I get to model that for our kids and staff.”
Auburn football announced Hugh’s diagnosis on social media in February.
“Thankfully, it was detected early and his doctors have advised that it is very treatable and curable,” the team shared via X on February 28. “He will continue his normal coaching duties and responsibilities, and with forthcoming proper treatment, is expected to make a full recovery. Coach Freeze is incredibly appreciative of our medical professionals and has asked that we use his experience as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing and scheduling annual health screenings.”
Auburn will open the season on August 29 at Baylor in Waco, Texas. As he manages his own health, Hugh is incredibly optimistic about the direction of his football team.
“I think it’s as settled as we’ve been as a program, the continuity of our staff, the pieces of our staff that we’ve added and what we’ve been able to do in building our roster in high school recruiting and in the portal,” he told ESPN on Tuesday. “Now, we’ve got to go compete and win some more games, but I don’t feel any sense of panic.”
He added, “We’re on our way to getting where we want to be and where we should be.”
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