Hugh Freeze discusses maintaining Zoom for recruiting in post-COVID-19 era
Hugh Freeze enters his third season as head coach at Liberty.
Freeze is 18-6 in two seasons at Liberty and has won two bowl games. Liberty finished 10-1 in 2020. He has 10-win seasons as a head coach at Lambuth, Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Liberty.
Freeze has a history of success in Tennessee. He won two state championships at Briarcrest Christian School (2002, 2004) and compiled a 20-5 record at Lambuth, reaching the NAIA playoffs.
PODCAST: Mike Leach reflects on recruiting Josh Heupel
Recruiting and the NCAA transfer portal is a key part of any program in 2021.
During the coronavirus pandemic, coaches were forced to use platforms such as Zoom to interact with recruits as prospects were not allowed to take visits on campus.
The NCAA is now allowing on-campus visits since June 1.
Freeze joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” and discussed how maintaining Zoom in recruiting can be beneficial for programs during the post-COVID-19 era.
“I would be fine with continuing to recruit like that all the time with the exception of, I think we need to be able to go out in the evaluation period in the fall, and obviously the contact period before signing day in December and January,” Freeze said. “I honestly think it would benefit college football, families and coaches if we just did away with the spring evaluations and did that by Zoom because the kids are coming to your campus anyway. When we go to those high schools in the spring, everyone is pulling people out of class, it is a non-contact period anyway — I am probably on the minority on that. I would be fine with us just resuming the Zoom world, all of that time with the exception, I do think we need to go out and evaluate in the fall time where there be a practice or a game, combined with the contact we have in December in January.
“I would love to see our staff be able to stay at home in the spring because you are going to these satellite camps in June and kids are coming to your campus all spring and summer. That is just my opinion and I would love to see Zoom replace that time. Another thing, with this new transfer portal, the relational aspect of coaching is going to be more important than ever and that requires time. I just think the more time our coaches can be on campus with our kids, the more beneficial it would be.”
The entire show with Freeze can be listened to here or below. Freeze discusses Liberty football, recruiting and the College Football Playoff.
