Taylor Jones
December 8, 2022 1:00 pm CT
Hugh Freeze continues to build his new staff at Auburn piece by piece. His most recent addition is a 20-year coaching veteran.
It has been reported by Auburn Live’s Keith Niebuhr that Kent Austin, who served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Hugh Freeze from 2019-22, is now a member of Auburn’s coaching staff.
While at Liberty, Austin was instrumental in the development of quarterbacks Stephen Calvert and Malik Willis. Calvert threw for 3,663 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2019 and had a streak of 295 passing attempts without throwing an interception. Following a stint at Auburn, Willis led the Flames in passing and rushing in 2020 and 2021. He passed for 5,107 yards and 47 touchdowns over his two-year career as Liberty’s starter while rushing for 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Austin began his coaching career in 2003 in the Canadian Football League, coaching quarterbacks for the Ottawa Renegades. He continued to climb up the coaching ladder in the CFL, where he became the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts from 2004-06, and served as head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007.
He returned to American soil in 2008 to become the offensive coordinator for Houston Nutt at Ole Miss until 2009. He left Ole Miss to become the head coach at Cornell from 2010-12 before moving back to Canada to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2013-18. In addition to his head coaching duties, Austin was also the general manager and director of operations for the franchise.
Austin becomes the third member of Freeze’s staff from Liberty to follow him in Auburn, joining Jeremy Garrett and Ben Aigamaua. Freeze has also hired Wesley McGriff and Jake Thornton from Louisville and Ole Miss respectively while holding onto Cadillac Williams, Zac Etheridge, and Christian Robinson from Bryan Harsin’s staff.
Austin’s role within Freeze’s staff has yet to be announced.
VIA: https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/2022/12/08/auburn-football-hugh-freeze-coaching-hires-kent-austin-liberty/
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