Programs with turned corners and pathways to success by Year 2 have been hallmarks of Hugh Freeze's decorated coaching careers.
From the tiny outposts -- old NAIA program Lambuth -- to Freeze's work in turning around his hometown institution, Ole Miss.
Auburn? Not so much. Freeze's second year at the loveliest village on the plains descended into misery. The Tigers couldn't score points. They looked disjointed on offense. They lost close games, seemingly all the close games; five losses by 10 or fewer points.
And, patience isn't what brought Freeze to Auburn. So, the veteran coach and holder of a 10-win season at every single coaching stop in his career -- except his current one -- makes no illusions about what 2025 means for Auburn football and for its head coach.
"I'm not a fool," Freeze said during an appearance on The Next Round radio program. "I think, I think we've got to go to a bowl game, and I think our administration understands, I inherited a program that didn't have a top-25 recruiting class for four years. You're not going to win in this league ... we've had now two full recruiting classes, both of them top 10, I think one more and then your roster looks complete.
"But, I'm still not naive. We should have won some games last year ... we could have won some games, I'll say we could have won some games last year and we've got to find a way to make sure we're excellent in areas that cost us those. That put us in the position to be at least bowl eligible, if not more, and I see no reason why we shouldn't do that. I think that's expectations that our people should expect."
Auburn actually has eight losses by 10 or fewer points in Freeze's first 25 games at the helm. But he insists he wants to win because of gratitude for his opportunity at Auburn and for the people who make Auburn "one of the best universities in the world."
"That doesn't add ... I don't sit around feeling like that puts a lot of pressure on me," Freeze said. "Look, I'm blessed. And I'm blessed to be at one of the greatest universities, to live in one of the greatest towns, to work for some of the greatest people, and our administration is awesome.
"I have my family, all three daughters there and grandkids. Whatever the outcome of all of that is, I will be OK. Obviously, I'm a competitor and I want to deliver to the Auburn people. It's time for us to start doing that."
It arguably will be Freeze's toughest path to date at Auburn. The Tigers open with a Friday-night tilt at Big 12 program Baylor on Aug. 12 and have opening-month road contests at Oklahoma and Texas A&M; they host Georgia and Missouri midseason before wrapping the year with Alabama at home.