New Auburn coach Hugh Freeze is reportedly set to make two high-profile coordinator hires, tabbing a former FBS head coach and a Power Five defensive coordinator to aid in the Tigers’ rebuild.
Auburn is hiring Philip Montgomery and Ron Roberts to be its next offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively. The moves were first reported Sunday evening by 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
Montgomery, a Texas native, was fired after eight years as the head coach of Tulsa on Nov. 27. He compiled a 43–53 record with the Golden Hurricane, leading Tulsa to a 10-win season in 2016 and an AAC Championship berth in ’20.
Prior to taking over the Golden Hurricane, Montgomery worked at Baylor for seven years, first as co-offensive and then as offensive coordinator. He was the Bears’ quarterbacks coach when Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.
Roberts also has Baylor ties, having worked three years as the Bears’ defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach under coach Dave Aranda. Under Roberts, Baylor gave up just 18.3 points per game in 2021, dispatching Mississippi 21–7 in the Sugar Bowl. The ’22 Bears slipped slightly but still finished third in the Big 12 in run defense.
Feldman noted that Roberts had also been targeted by Arkansas, which recently lost defensive coordinator Barry Odom to UNLV.
The Tigers, who gave up 29.5 points per game in 2022, hired Freeze away from Liberty under controversial circumstances on Nov. 28. Auburn's previous coordinators under coach Bryan Harsin were Eric Kiesau and Jeff Schmedding.
