SEC mouthpiece Paul Finebaum shares Hugh Freeze’s confidence in Auburn Tigers’ linchpin for 2025 season

In college football, few things matter more than **offensive and defensive line play**. While flashy wide receivers, dynamic quarterbacks, and game-changing running backs often steal the spotlight, the real battles — and championship runs — are won and lost in the trenches. For **Hugh Freeze**, the newly hired head coach of the **Auburn Tigers**, 2025 will be a pivotal year. While much of the focus will be on his ability to get Auburn back to national prominence, one of the most significant factors in his success will lie within his ability to manage the offensive and defensive lines. These areas are considered by many, including **SEC analyst Paul Finebaum**, to be the linchpins of Auburn’s 2025 season.

Finebaum, a renowned commentator and observer of SEC football, has had ample opportunities to analyze Auburn’s challenges and opportunities since Freeze’s hiring in 2023. While Finebaum is often candid in his assessments, his perspective on Freeze’s Auburn tenure is notably optimistic, especially regarding the team’s ability to dominate the trenches. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of Freeze’s approach to Auburn’s lines in 2025 and why Finebaum believes that this facet of the team will be the key to success.

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### **The Importance of the Trenches: Why Finebaum Sees Auburn’s Linemen as Critical**

Anyone who has followed SEC football for any length of time knows that **games are won in the trenches**. The physicality of the SEC is unmatched in college football, and Auburn’s ability to dominate both the offensive and defensive lines will go a long way in determining whether Freeze’s vision for success is realized. Freeze is known for his offensive creativity, having developed some potent attacks at both **Ole Miss** and **Liberty**, but his success at Auburn will be determined by his ability to establish a strong foundation on both sides of the ball.

Paul Finebaum, who has seen countless Auburn teams come and go over the years, has consistently pointed out that Auburn’s biggest obstacle has been inconsistency in the trenches. The Tigers have had sporadic success, but they have often struggled to win battles in the line of scrimmage against some of the best teams in the SEC, including rivals like **Alabama**, **Georgia**, and **LSU**. Finebaum believes that Freeze has the tools and understanding to change this dynamic in 2025, especially with his focus on bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines.

**“If Auburn wants to compete in the SEC, they have to dominate the line of scrimmage, especially with a program that has traditionally struggled to keep up with Alabama and Georgia. Freeze knows this, and his focus on the trenches will be his most important move in year one,”** Finebaum recently stated during one of his appearances on **The Paul Finebaum Show**.

For Freeze, the trenches are a **linchpin** to the 2025 season. If Auburn can control the line of scrimmage, it will have the chance to execute the **up-tempo offense** Freeze is known for, while also putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and running backs on defense. Finebaum, who has seen Auburn fail to match up physically against SEC heavyweights in the past, is confident that Freeze will make significant strides in this area.

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### **Auburn’s Offensive Line: A Priority for Freeze**

The **offensive line** is the first place where Freeze has emphasized immediate improvement. The Tigers’ offensive line has been a **source of frustration** in recent seasons. Auburn has struggled to protect its quarterbacks and establish a consistent running game, and Freeze knows that his offense can’t thrive without an improved offensive line.

**“You can’t run Freeze’s offense — or any offense, really — if you don’t have an offensive line that can protect your quarterback and open up running lanes,”** Finebaum remarked when discussing Auburn’s challenges. For Freeze to implement his up-tempo, spread-style offense effectively, he must have a line that can give his quarterbacks enough time to throw and his running backs the space they need to break off big plays.

In 2025, Freeze’s offensive line will need to improve in several key areas:

1. **Pass Protection:** Freeze’s offense requires the quarterback to make quick, decisive throws, which means that pass protection will be paramount. Auburn’s quarterbacks, including **Robbie Ashford**, need a line that can hold up against SEC defenses long enough to read the field and make accurate throws.

2. **Run Blocking:** Auburn has historically been a run-first program, and Freeze’s offense doesn’t deviate from that tradition. The Tigers will need a more consistent push from their offensive line to establish a dominant running game. Freeze’s offense often features multiple running backs and quarterbacks on designed runs, but without a line that can open holes, it’s nearly impossible to create an effective ground game.

3. **Depth and Development:** While Freeze has a few key offensive linemen returning in 2025, he must build depth and develop younger players to ensure that the line can stay strong throughout the season. SEC teams often play a physical brand of football, and a deep offensive line is critical to keeping players fresh and ready for the grueling schedule.

Finebaum notes that **Auburn’s recruitment of offensive linemen in the 2024 and 2025 classes** will be crucial to Freeze’s success. **“Freeze knows how to recruit, and if he’s able to bring in a few more big bodies to the offensive line, Auburn could quickly become a force on offense in the SEC,”** Finebaum remarked.

Freeze will need to make the offensive line a top priority for both immediate and future success. He’s made it clear that he sees the offensive line as the **foundation of his offense**, and if Auburn can establish solid line play in 2025, the Tigers could be on the path to a competitive season.

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### **The Defensive Line: Auburn’s Forgotten Weapon**

While much of the attention on Auburn’s line play has focused on the offensive side of the ball, **Paul Finebaum** also emphasizes the importance of the **defensive line** as the team’s true **“forgotten weapon”**. Auburn has historically had a strong defense, but the inability to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks and shut down the run game has led to struggles in key games. For Freeze to turn Auburn into a perennial contender, he must shore up the defensive line.

The defensive line is often where championships are won, as pressure on the quarterback disrupts opposing offenses, and a stout run defense limits the opponent’s ability to sustain drives. Auburn’s defense in recent years has lacked that elite pass rush that would strike fear into opposing offenses. **”Auburn’s defensive line has been underperforming for the last few seasons, and Freeze knows this,”** Finebaum pointed out. **“But with the right coaching and recruiting, that defensive line can turn into something special.”**

Freeze will need to focus on several critical aspects to make his defensive line a strength in 2025:

1. **Pressure on the Quarterback:** Freeze has to get his defensive linemen in positions to **pressure opposing quarterbacks**. Auburn has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush in recent seasons, and Freeze’s defensive staff will need to fix that issue immediately.

2. **Run Defense:** SEC teams like Alabama and Georgia will try to run the ball down Auburn’s throat, and the Tigers’ defensive line must be able to plug running lanes and prevent opposing teams from establishing a ground game. Freeing up the linebackers to make plays will be critical.

3. **Depth and Rotation:** Like on the offensive side of the ball, Freeze must develop **depth** on the defensive line to maintain fresh legs throughout the course of the season. Auburn will face many physical teams, and the ability to rotate defensive linemen will help the team stay strong against the SEC’s best.

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### **The Bottom Line: Freeze’s Path to Success Will Be Paved by the Trenches**

Paul Finebaum’s confidence in Hugh Freeze is rooted in his ability to recognize that **winning in the SEC requires more than just flashy playmakers**. Freeze understands this truth and has made it clear that his first step in transforming Auburn’s fortunes will come from improving the offensive and defensive lines.

Finebaum’s insight into Auburn’s potential in 2025 is clear: If Freeze can build dominant line play on both sides of the ball, Auburn will become a legitimate contender in the SEC. The program’s fortunes have long been tied to its ability to control the trenches, and Freeze is well aware of this reality. If he succeeds in this area, Auburn will have the foundation to compete for championships in the near future.

As Freeze enters the 2025 season, his challenge is clear: build a championship-caliber team, starting with the **offensive and defensive lines**. And with the backing of **Paul Finebaum**, who believes in the Tigers’ chances if these areas are addressed, the path to success at Auburn appears clearer than ever.