Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze talk during warm ups as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

As of now, Alabama and Auburn are trending in different directions when it comes to recruiting, especially within the Yellowhammer State.

On the latest episode of “The Dynasty: A Podcast on the Alabama Crimson Tide,” AJ McCarron explained why he believes it is ‘dumb’ for an in-state recruit to choose Auburn over Alabama.

“If you’re from the state of Alabama, I think it is dumb for you not to sign with the University of Alabama and pick Auburn over Alabama,” McCarron said. “And the reason I say that is life after football. Your avenue for success with life after football is a lot greater…Whatever route you want to go after football, I think the University of Alabama supplies more avenues for that. And when I go talk to young kids that are coming out, I tell them ‘Do you want to live in the state of Alabama? If so, I think it’s a no brainer to go to the University of Alabama. I think life after football is set up for success a lot more than Auburn, and I think that’s been proven when it comes to the recruiting standpoint. That’s just my take, but I think that shows why Hugh Freeze is struggling.”

Freeze raised eyebrows last week when he made comments indirectly accusing others in the SEC of not following the rules of the House v. NCAA Settlement that went into effect on July 1.

“You want to make sure you are operating with what the settlement says, and we think we are,” Freeze said at Auburn’s Lake Martin AMBUSH event. “We’re going by what we believe to be the accurate interpretation of it. It’s not really to our advantage to what we’re doing right now because others, I think, are operating in a different manner.”

McCarron labeled it as an excuse to keep the faith of the alumni and boosters.

“I think Hugh Freeze is trying to do whatever he can to save face,” McCarron said. “He’s starting to feel pressure at Auburn. Going into his third year, not having the success that the alumni, the boosters, everybody donating a lot of money thought that he would have by this point. I think he’s trying to figure out and scramble on why they are not successful.”

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