Searching for accountability in the Auburn football coaching hire

An immediate acknowledgment: This is easy for me to say because I wasn’t there and I don’t have to take the in-person or online flak afterward. But that was some soft journalism we saw at Tuesday’s introductory press conference for new Auburn University head football coach Hugh Freeze.

I don’t put all the fault on the reporters. I also blame the general nature of press conferences.

The hire of a coach with a history of varied misconduct has severely split Auburn alumni and fans. Many believe in second chances and welcome a coach with a record of on-field success. Others are dismayed their university could place a man of such flawed character in charge of impressionable young men.

Freeze’s misconduct while at Ole Miss included NCAA violations, public lying and misuse of a university cellphone to call a female escort service on multiple occasions. Of even more concern, his past also includes allegations that he invaded the privacy of a few female students when he was a high school coach (he denies this), and he sent social media direct messages as recently as July to a sexual assault victim who was part of a Title IX lawsuit against Liberty University, where he worked at the time. Many colleges that prioritize achievement in football have failed to respect the rights of women on campus. In such a climate, the hiring of Freeze seems especially heinous.

In light of this background, and as Auburn asks its “family” to accept this new face of the university, Freeze and the people who hired him are obligated to answer questions. The press is obligated to ask them.

Didn’t see that on Tuesday.

Auburn didn’t even let Athletics Director John Cohen take questions, which tells you all you need to know about what Auburn knows it did. (He offered prepared remarks that cited a thorough vetting of Freeze, but an AL.com story pointed out that wasn’t necessarily so.)

A few reporters – Joseph Goodman of AL.com and Jeff Speegle of ABC 33/40, for instance – asked questions that sought some accountability. But there were no questions that asked about specific transgressions. Sure, such questions have been asked of Freeze in the past in other communities. This is a new community, a new audience. I see nothing wrong with a question such as “What was your reason for sending online direct messages to a sexual assault victim at Liberty University, and in hindsight do you have any regrets?”

But the nature of press conferences — whether sports related or not — can work against questions like that. Often, the events are televised or streamed, so there’s no anonymity, and they take place in a room full of fans or supporters. Not easy. And the folks at the lectern usually are skilled at evasion. (This includes, for instance, Nick Saban.)

There’s also limited time and a lot of legitimate angles to cover, including non-sensitive ones. I didn’t hear any questions Tuesday that I thought were a total waste.

Sports writers may commendably try to get better answers from Freeze and Cohen in one-on-one, less public settings. Alas, most major-college sports information departments don’t let a lot of those happen, either. Auburn did grant one later Tuesday to ESPN’s Chris Low, who did, indeed, get an answer from Freeze about the direct messages.

It will be interesting to see what happens at next year’s SEC Media Days. The place will be packed with media that couldn’t care less what decision makers or fan bases they hack off with their questions, because they don’t have to deal with them every day. What answers might they get? Dunno. Probably: “The hire was eight months ago. We’ve moved on.”

It’s a very slick spin move.