Auburn has officially suffered its first recruiting loss of the 2026 cycle following the recent firing of head coach Hugh Freeze. On Sunday night, running back Eric Perry announced that he has flipped his commitment from Auburn to Memphis, marking a significant shift in his recruitment just hours after the coaching change on the Plains.
Perry, a standout from Southaven, Mississippi, had been verbally committed to Auburn since June. However, the aftermath of Freeze’s dismissal during his third year at the helm appears to have altered Perry’s plans for the future. The young athlete chose to reopen his recruitment and ultimately pledged his commitment to the Memphis Tigers, opting to stay closer to home and join a program that has been actively rising within the AAC ranks.
The decision became public on Sunday night when Perry took to social media to formally share his updated commitment status and express gratitude to the Auburn staff and community that recruited him.
“Thankful for every opportunity and relationship built along the way at Auburn,” Perry wrote in his post. “That said, I’m flipping my commitment to the University of Memphis. Ready to get to work!”
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Perry is a three-star prospect and one of the more versatile players in Mississippi. Listed as an “Athlete” rather than a pure running back, he currently stands as the No. 1,185 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class, the No. 94-ranked Athlete nationally, and the No. 34 prospect from the state of Mississippi.
Perry’s decision highlights the immediate recruiting repercussions of Auburn’s coaching transition, as Freeze’s firing has left several recruits re-evaluating their futures. For Memphis, however, the addition of Perry represents a notable win, as they add a dynamic and multi-positional player who brings both speed and adaptability to the Tigers’ 2026 class.
