At a press conference on Wednesday before the opening of Auburn's training camp, Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze offered a positive update on his health following a prostate cancer diagnosis back in February.
"I feel as good for this camp as I probably have in years," Freeze said Wednesday. "I don't think anything about the health right now -- whether that's right, wrong or indifferent. I talk to docs, I had three of them text me yesterday, they're awesome. I've got a great team around me. I don't feel sick."
Following the February diagnosis, Freeze said back in April that his form of cancer was "slow aggressive," which did not require immediate action. He said in the spring that, should surgery be required, he would prefer it to be in June or January due to his demanding schedule as an SEC head coach. Wednesday's update indicates the cancer has not grown at a rate that requires intervention.
"My wife's got me taking all kind of natural things that supposedly may cure prostate cancer. We hope it does, we'll re-check it in January and see where things are," he said. "Other than an old back, I feel great. Sometimes it gets a little tight. I had that deal at Liberty where I had the infection, I'm always going to have some arthritis there. My energy's good, I feel great and excited about camp."
Freeze had emergency surgery in August 2019 for a life-threatening staph infection that had entered his bloodstream. Though he coached the first two games of the 2019 season from the press box, Freeze made a full recovery.
The 55-year-old is heading into his third season at Auburn, carrying an 11-14 overall record and a 5-11 mark in SEC play. The Tigers open the season Aug. 29 at Baylor -- the line on that game has recently moved three points in Baylor's favor -- and has back-to-back road trips to Oklahoma and Texas A&M before hosting Georgia on Oct. 11. Georgia has taken eight straight in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. "I'm not a fool," Freeze said back in May. "I think we've got to go to a bowl game."