Why Hugh Freeze had Malik Willis speak to Auburn football ahead of Music City Bowl
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Malik Willis' connections to this year's Music City Bowl run deep.
The most obvious is that Willis spent three seasons at Liberty under current Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze. Willis, who began his collegiate career on the Plains before he entered the transfer portal in 2019, was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Playing for a team located in the host city for the postseason matchup between the Tigers and Maryland, Willis paid his former coach a visit Friday.
"I just think there's something about finishing with your team and giving yourself a chance to improve that I kind of just believe in," Freeze said on Tiger Talk when discussing opt-outs. "Actually, Malik Willis was just over visiting with us. He shared with our team, I made him share — Malik was projected to be a first-round draft pick. He did fall and not go in the first round, but he was projected to be that. I'll never forget him coming in my office. I was all like, 'Oh God, I'm going to have to talk this kid into playing in the bowl game and everything.'
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"He comes in, he sits down and we're just having casual conversation. He's not bringing it up. I'm like, 'God, I'm going to have to bring this up at some point. What are we going to do for this bowl game, Malik?' Finally, I had to bring it up. I'm like, 'Malik, I know you're probably hearing a lot of things about your draft stock. We've got to get ready for this bowl, and I kind of wanted to know your thoughts.' He just looked and he said, 'I never thought about it. I'm playing. I'm finishing with my team.' I miss that some, and I'm having to adjust in this."
Auburn and Maryland will matchup against one another Saturday (1 p.m. CT, ABC) in Nissan Stadium, home of Willis and the Titans.
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Malik Willis speaks to Auburn football ahead of Music City Bowl
