Auburn coach’s pre-game chat meant something to HBCU coach

Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze met up with Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor for a brief chat with the HBCU coach.

The SEC squad would go on to dominate the SWAC squad with a resounding 73-3 win on Saturday. There weren’t many highlights for Alabama A&M, but Maynor’s pre-game chat with his opponent was a bright spot in the loss.

Maynor was asked about the chat on the weekly SWAC football coaches media call and he expounded a little on the conversation. According to Maynor, he congratulated Hugh Freeze for getting the job, his recruiting and the two remarked about the changes in college football.

“He told me good luck, I told him good luck — which he didn’t need the luck — I needed it,” Maynor said.

Maynor made it a point to say that he wished more coaches in the SWAC would take the time out to chat prior to games.

“I think we should do that. That’s part of the game,” Maynor continued. “Head coaches should go out and chop it up. If Nick Saban and Dabo (Swinney) for five, ten minutes — but we get in our games — some of our games the (opposing) head coach doesn’t come. I don’t talk to all of our head coaches now days.”

Maynor is now the longest-tenured coach in the SWAC, having been at Alabama A&M since 2018. Some programs have had as many as three head coaches in that span.

“We got some guys that won’t talk to me before the game. I don’t know what’s wrong with these guys. I mean, just come and shake hands man. That’s what you’re supposed to do. We didn’t do it all the time. It’s okay with me if they don’t.”

“It’s something that you should do. It’s the right thing to do.”

Alabama A&M will take on Kentucky State, a Division II HBCU, on Saturday.

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