LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) — Liberty University Flames head football coach, Hugh Freeze is, once again, bound for the SEC, according to multiple reports. Reporters with Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN all citing insider sources saying an announcement about his hire at Auburn University is forthcoming, as of Monday Evening.
Freeze is no stranger to the SEC. A native of Oxford, Mississippi, the 53-year old has spent much of his coaching career in the southeast. Starting as a line coach at a Christian high school in Tennessee, Freeze would go on to coach at Arkansas State, and Ole Miss, before his time at Liberty.
His initial departure from the Southeast Conference would be mired in controversy. With Freeze as the head coach, in 2016, the NCAA began investigating Ole Miss for alleged recruiting violations. The league accusing the school of arranging “impermissible benefits” for players, under both Freeze and his predecessor, Houston Nutt. The culmination of that investigation was a laundry list of punishments for the Ole Miss Football program. Freeze was given the option, by the school, to resign or be fired. He left Ole Miss in July of 2017.
More than a year later, in December of 2018, Freeze was announced as the Head Coach of the Liberty University Flames. Since then, the Flames have not had a losing season, winning at least eight games, and becoming bowl eligible in each of Freeze’s four seasons. This alleged departure comes just days after the Flames wrapped a 8-4 season with a rough 49 – 14 loss, at home, to New Mexico State. Coach Freeze attributing, at least part of that loss, to the rumors that were swirling about his employment situation.
With an 8-4 record, the Liberty Flames are once again bowl eligible for the 2022 season. It’s unclear if Freeze would stay through the post-season game.
This story is continuing to develop. As we learn more, stay with WFXR New on air, and online, as well as with the WFXR News app.
