CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Liberty Flames calls a timeout in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)Hugh Freeze is viewed as the potential frontrunner for the South Carolina job, which became open on Sunday night when Will Muschamp was fired.
Saturday Down South reported on Sunday that the Liberty head coach is target 1A for the Gamecocks.
There are a handful of potential coaches with Power 5 value available, and at the top of that list, according to a South Carolina source, is Freeze. The Liberty coach (and former Ole Miss coach) signed an extension with the Flames last week – an extension that won’t prohibit him from accepting another job.
Freeze, 51, was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2012-16. He resigned from the job following recruiting violations and an escort scandal. Freeze got back in coaching in 2019, taking the Liberty job. He has the school undefeated and ranked inside the top 25 this season.
ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum believes South Carolina is interested in Freeze. However, he wonders if Freeze might be waiting for a better gig.
“I think it’s more than a possibility,” Finebaum said on WJOX on Monday. “Nobody knows the SEC like Hugh Freeze. He not only knows what’s available today, but he’s looking next year to see what’s available then. You can do the math on what could come open. You have to weigh, do I want to go to South Carolina and be in Clemson’s shadow. Or, do I wait for what may be a better job next year, or more than one job next year. By the way, we’re not talking about Vanderbilt in this conversation. I don’t know if that job will come open or not. He’s looking at the bigger schools that could come open next year.”
Two schools were mentioned as possible options: Tennessee and Auburn.
It will be interesting to see how Freeze handles his possible options.
