It's pretty normal for a head coach to come into a new job with his own idea of standards, and what success looks like that he drills into the heads of his staff, and the roster he's inheriting.
Judging from Hugh Freeze's press conference today, he very well may be guilty of that approach when he took over on The Plains last year, but this year he opted for a bit of a different approach.
After a 6-7 debut season, Freeze was asked about the biggest change from a program perspective today as they enter spring practices, and his answer started off quite simple.
"Accountability, no question, to the little things," he opened by sharing.
"It seemed that we were just way too casual about our approach and a lot of things. That's an indication of staff, players, all of us. I think the kids sensed it. I think we sensed it. At our meetings in January we addressed it and said that we can't take that approach."
"If it's not addressed, then things tend to be repeated. I need everyone to be accountable to whatever we say the standard is. Truthfully, the older I get, the more that I probably need players to help me see that 'Hey, maybe that's an unreasonable standard, coach,' because things have changed some."
Freeze then goes a little more in depth, sharing that he had players get together and explain to him what the standard should be for Auburn football as they head into year two.
That conversation evolved into a full-fledged presentation.
"If I think y'all are way, way off, I'm going to say it and you do the same for me and we just had some really good conversations, and they came up with a presentation. I just approved it because I agreed with their approach and presented it to the team."
"I think that's the biggest difference that I've seen thus far. There's a different energy that comes with that, to know that there is no compromise. We hold each other accountable. If you're one of the ones being held accountable and you don't like it, that's part of life and we agreed that this is the standard."
Hear more from Freeze in the clip.