Hugh Freeze, coach from his hospital bed, holds a virtual press conference following his 24-0 loss to Syracuse – The Daily Orange

LYNCHBURG, Virginia – While the video call was ringing on television in the Liberty Newsroom, head coach Hugh Freeze appeared on a television screen dressed for the day. match of a white windbreaker and a red visor but prepared for hospital care, perched on his bed inside a coaches room above the ground.

Freeze, who was still recovering from an almost fatal staph infection in the spine, led the opener for the Saturday night night in the same room. Throughout the 24-0 loss, he could be seen through the window with a call sheet in his hand. Freeze even called pieces on the first and second trials, he said.

The press conference started normally – as normal as a head coach lying in a bed and speaking through television speakers. Freeze explained that his team had early chances. He added that if his team ended up in the red zone, Liberty could have won the match.

But the subject quickly changed and Freeze broke down what he described as a "wonderful idea."

"It was different," said Freeze through the television screen. "It's strange that I'm not there to talk to officials and call downtime if we need it."

Syracuse loss marks Freeze's first game as head coach of Liberty, his first coaching position since his resignation from Ole Miss in 2017, following a Freeze escort scandal during recruitment trips.

Refusing to give up his first chance to return to college football, Freeze made even more noise than Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr., who was going to the match by helicopter. Falwell Jr. came out early in the second half.

Mr. Freeze thanked Falwell Jr. and the entire university for taking part in what he called "non-normal" circumstances. He even joked that it was probably a first in college football.

Hugh Freeze conducts a half-time interview on ESPN + in a hospital bed. Danny Emerman | Asst. Sports Editor

The move had logistical problems – Freeze did not have a game clock in his room, which he said was a challenge and was not able to communicate perfectly with the players in the field. This is part of the reason why he dropped out of playing for the third try.

This is a good argument for why Freeze should not have been a coach and made his re-appearance in the world of college football a little more subtle. But that's not what Freeze chose. He wanted to be on TV.

"It was a pretty remarkable thing," said Freeze. "And I'm grateful for that."

Published on August 31, 2019 at 23:20

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