Hugh Freeze is one man who has experienced his share of highs and lows. The renowned college football coach has guided several winning teams, and also played a pivotal role in the life of inspirational NFL player, Michael Oher. On the low side, Freeze has been accused of violating several NCAA regulations as well as personal indiscretions. So, where is he now? Has he resigned from his latest appointment as head coach of Liberty University? All these and more questions are answered below.

Who Is Hugh Freeze?

Danny Hugh Freeze Jr. was born on the 27^th of September 1969 in Oxford, Mississippi. His father’s name is Danny Freeze Sr. while his mother’s name is Rita. The coach has two siblings, an older brother named Cary and a younger sister named Tammy. Freeze grew up on his family’s farm in the town of Independence and completed his diploma at Senatobia High School. Hugh Freeze first became fascinated with football when he was just an infant.

His dad coached at some local high schools and he would often crawl to the fence to watch his father’s teams practice. The young boy was hypnotized by the hitting, the violence and the ball spiraling through the air, and fell in love with the game. Freeze later attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he studied maths. Having acknowledged early on that his small frame would make it impossible for him to play college football, he decided to switch his focus to coaching and thus minored in coaching and sports administration.

Career

Hugh Freeze commenced his coaching career at Briarcrest High School, Memphis, Tennessee in 1992. He spent ten years there during which he variously served as offensive coordinator, defensive coach, and head coach. Freeze led Briarcrest to two regional championships as well as two state championships. He also coached their female basketball team for several years and led them to 305 victories in 368 matches. Between 2005 and 2011, Freeze coached at several colleges across the United States. He, however, recorded the most success at Arkansas State University. He not only improved the school’s offensive fortunes but also led the team to the Sun Belt Conference title in 2005.

Where Is Hugh Freeze Now?

In December 2011, Hugh Freeze joined the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) as the head coach of its prestigious football program. He spent more than six years at the school during which he led them to appearances in the 2009 Egg Bowl and the 2014 Peach Bowl, as well as victories in the 2013 Music City Bowl and 2015 Sugar Bowl. The Mississippi native also produced a top-five nationally-ranked recruiting class on two occasions, 2013 and 2016.

While signing for Ole Miss, Hugh Freeze had expressed his desire to retire at the school. This was however not to be as the regulatory authorities charged the institution with violating several regulations relating to college sports. The investigation also uncovered the fact that Freeze had used the school’s phone to place calls to an escort service. All these compelled the coach to resign in July 2018. He was subsequently appointed the head coach of Liberty University in December 2018.

Did Hugh Freeze resign from Liberty University?

Hugh Freeze has not resigned but remains the head coach of Liberty University’s football program. The coach however suffered a minor health scare in August 2019. Freeze had been busy prepping his team for the upcoming 2019/2020 season when he started experiencing severe back spasms. He soldiered through the pain but was forced to call for an ambulance when he became practically immobile. Freeze later reached out to the president of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell, who in turn contacted renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson. The coach was thereafter transferred to the University of Virginia Medical Centre while a specialist was brought in from Arizona to operate on him. It later turned out that a potentially-fatal strand of staph had entered Freeze’s bloodstream. Freeze is now on the mend and has released a statement thanking the school president, his team as well as the doctors who rallied around him. The Mississippi native remains committed to redeeming his image through his current job at Liberty.

Family

Freeze has enjoyed the unwavering support of his family through all the highs and lows. The renowned coach is married to a school teacher, Jill Freeze. The couple first met while they were both students at USM and thereafter commenced a relationship. They later tied the knot in July 1992 at a Baptist church located in independence. The couple now has three daughters together namely Ragan, Madison, and Jordan.