Liberty and Hugh Freeze have executed a new multi-year contract, the school has announced. This extension adds two years on his current deal and runs through 2030. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the new contract will average just under $5 million per year over the course of the deal.
“We are grateful for Coach Freeze’s outstanding leadership of Liberty Football and the positive influence he has on our student-athletes,” said Director of Athletics Ian McCaw in a school release. “Liberty Football is realizing the vision that was cast for it decades ago and we are excited that Coach Freeze will lead the program into the future.”
Freeze and Liberty have agreed to a contract extension every year he has been the Flames’ head coach. His most recent extension came during the 2021 season that extended his contract through the 2028 season with reports of a total financial package that would average more than $4 million annually over the length of the contract, placing him amont the highest paid non-Power Five head coaches in college football.
Freeze has guided Liberty to bowl eligibility each of his four seasons in Lynchburg, the first four years the program has been a full FBS member. The Flames have won the Cure Bowl in both 2019 and 2020 and won the 2021 Lending Tree Bowl. Liberty is currently eligible for a bowl game after starting the 2022 season 7-1.
Under Freeze, Liberty finished the 2019 campaign at 8-5 following its triumph over Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The following year, behind Freeze and new starting quarterback Malik Willis, the Flames had its best season in school history. Liberty finished the year at 10-1 and defeated its first two ACC opponents in school history with wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech. The Flames would go on to defeat previously unbeaten and nationally ranked Coastal Carolina to win the 2020 Cure Bowl and finished the year ranked No. 17 in the final Associated Press top 25 poll.
This season, the Flames are 7-1 and coming off one of the biggest wins in program history, defeating BYU, 41-14, in front of a record crowd at Williams Stadium. Liberty has an open date this week before traveling to Arkansas for a matchup on Nov. 5. The Flames are looking for a fourth straight eight-win season under Freeze. In his four seasons with Liberty, Freeze has an overall record of 33-12.
Ever since he was hired at Liberty, Freeze has been mentioned as a potential coaching replacement for just about any Power Five job that has come available, particularly in the southeastern part of the country. Freeze, who is originally from Mississippi, has had previous head coaching stints at Lambuth, Arkansas State, and Ole Miss.
