Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze was out of coaching for two seasons before he was hired last December to guide the Flames. He had just one week on the job before having to face an early signing period. It was the first time he had ever dealt with the early signing period.
This year, Freeze had an entire year to recruit for the 2020 class, but with signing day coming on Wednesday it comes right in the middle of bowl preparation.
The Flames are travelling to Orlando on Tuesday, a day earlier than normal, primarily due to signing day. The entire coaching staff and compliance office will be working Signing Day Wednesday morning out of a hotel conference room.
“We will get up early, have some coffee and a devotional together,” Freeze said of the coaching staff’s schedule for Wednesday. “Hopefully start getting some (NLI’s) in 6-7 o’clock in the morning. I would love to get all of them in before we head out to practice, that would take a lot off my mind.”
The coaching staff will have a staff meeting at 5:30 Wednesday morning before signing day gets rolling. Wednesday afternoon’s practice starts at 1 p.m., and certainly it would be difficult for Freeze to lead that practice while still worrying if that last signee has decided to flip at the last minute.
“Hopefully no surprises,” Freeze said. “No last minute let’s all get on the phone with aunts and uncles and grandmas who we can find that can talk some sense into the young man to stay with the plan. It’s a lot less of that here than it was at my last stop. I would like to get all those in the morning.”
“We’re looking at signing, hopefully, 19-21ish on Wednesday,” Freeze continued. “That’s our goal. I’ve always said I’d like to save three spots to see what February brings or the transfer portal brings. If it’s three, four, or five, I’m ok with that, but I can’t lie, I would be a bit disappointed if Wednesday doesn’t bring us at least 18-20ish. I hope to knock that many out in this early signing period.”
