Liberty Extends Hugh Freeze Through 2026 With Reported 'Lucrative' New Deal

Hugh Freeze has led Liberty's football team to the best start in program history during this bizarre season, and in turn, the university extended the head coach's contract through 2026, it announced Wednesday.

"We are proud of Coach Freeze and the football program," Liberty University President Jerry Prevo said in the school announcement. "This contract extension demonstrates my commitment and support of him and our program. Dr. Falwell's vision was for Liberty to compete at the highest level of college football and Coach Freeze is making great strides towards realizing the vision."

Liberty is a private institution and is not required to disclose financial details but sources told ESPN that the new deal would place Freeze as one of the five highest-paid non-Power 5 head coaches in college football.

"All aspects of our program are on the rise under Hugh's leadership, and we are putting the infrastructure in place to make this one of the top Group of Five programs in the country," Liberty athletic director Ian McCaw told ESPN on Wednesday.

In their second full season at the FBS level and the second season with Freeze at the helm, the Flames (7–0) are currently ranked No. 22 in the latest Associated Press poll. The team has won nine straight, dating back to last season.

Most recently, Liberty is coming off a last-second win at Virginia Tech, where the Flames secured the program's first-ever win over the Hokies, 38–35, on a 51-yard field goal by kicker Alex Barbir.

Liberty has now beaten two ACC teams, the other being Syracuse 38–21, and will face NC State on Nov. 21. 

With winning 14 of the last 19 games, the former Ole Miss coach is likely one of the top offensive minds in the country, and had previously been mentioned in connection with the Southern Miss head-coaching vacancy.

Freeze, 51, had been out of coaching for two years before joining Liberty after resigning from Ole Miss before the 2017 season following a scandal. School officials found a pattern of improper calls on his university-issued cell. The NCAA imposed severe sanctions, including a two-year bowl ban for failure to monitor his staff.