[jinxy]

Memphis makes absolutely zero sense for memphis or freeze. If your memphis you want to get out of the 3 year turnover cycle. If your freeze what more are you gonna do there than norvell just did?? He can get to a p5 job here and do something much impressive here. I mean he would have to make the playoff to do more than norvell.

Bad comparison in my opinion and not a realistic option. I still remain a hair worried about arkansas now that lane has gone to ole miss and campbell and leach have accepted extensions. Norvell to fsu seems likely but that still leaves arkansas looking at their next rung of hires. They want a name. Not sure napier would get the job done.

[Jonathan Carone]

That potential is all years away though.

If you’re a current coach, you don’t make a decision based on where a program might be in 5–10 years because chances are you won’t be there for that. You go to the best job right now because coaches are painfully aware how tumultuous that profession is.

[FlamesHighontheTide]

Here is a question I thought about for a very little while today: How would we as a fan base feel if HCHF left after 1 year? Secondly, would it be ethically right as a Christian to leave like that?

Just curious about thoughts from you guys?

[Jonathan Carone]

I’d be 100% okay with him leaving. His contract should have a buyout clause and as long as the other school paid that, he would have fulfilled his part of the contract.

[sstaedtler]

I would not be happy at all if Hugh Freeze left. It would be like starting over, and ethically, I'd have an issue with it. If he stayed 3 or 4 years, and made us into a powerful G5 program, then I'd be OK, but not after one year where we made a bowl game simply because of a very weak schedule.

[tyndal23]

Here is a question I thought about for a very little while today: How would we as a fan base feel if HCHF left after 1 year? Secondly, would it be ethically right as a Christian to leave like that?

Just curious about thoughts from you guys?

I stated at the hire a 1 and done would be worst thing that could happen to our Program and that it was very possible / probable that would be what happened. Now I would say 99 percent he stays for another year. ( Memphis would be an idiot move for him - he will have a major SEC opportunity if he waits another year or 2 ) jumping around like Petrino creates a negative - his agent is smarter than that.

[jinxy]

Couldnt disagree more about 5 to 10 years. Rhule at Baylor is a better example. Were not at the same level but that program was down for the count and gutted. They missed one whole class and had a mediocore next class. Went 1 and 11 with loss to us as fcs and utep and 3 years later they are playing oklahoma.

Fau was complete trash and kiffin legitimized them in 3 years. Now i dont think it stays once hes gone.

3 years if freeze is here id love to revisit that 5 to 10 year. I guess it depends on what you define potential as but i could easily see us flirting with the top 25 in 3 years if he stays.


If he left after 1 year yes it would be sad and frankly say something about the person. Contracts are contracts but in freezes situation he needs his word to mean something. Unlike jon i dont think life as a christian is lived by a contract and minimal expectation. Is it a sin, certainly not but its just not how you treat a friend that helped pick you up when your on the ground and offers you a clean slate. Its because in our current state 1 year would set us back massively. Would he be dishonoring his contract? No, but in his situation and the schools i think youd be hard pressed to say its the honorable decision. Im all for freedom of movement but i also believe in leaving something better than you found it. One year in our situation does not do that.

[CCWMichael]

Here is a question I thought about for a very little while today: How would we as a fan base feel if HCHF left after 1 year? Secondly, would it be ethically right as a Christian to leave like that?

Just curious about thoughts from you guys?

It would hurt bad if he left and the program would suffer. However, he is underpaid. maybe the contract upgrade is due to interest in him? Our current buyout is likely so low we would lose biggly.
Ethical? If all contract rules are followed it would be ethical.
Who knows, he may surprise us and stay for a spell.

[tyndal23]

Couldnt disagree more about 5 to 10 years. Rhule at Baylor is a better example. Were not at the same level but that program was down for the count and gutted. They missed one whole class and had a mediocore next class. Went 1 and 11 with loss to us as fcs and utep and 3 years later they are playing oklahoma.

Fau was complete trash and kiffin legitimized them in 3 years. Now i dont think it stays once hes gone.

3 years if freeze is here id love to revisit that 5 to 10 year. I guess it depends on what you define potential as but i could easily see us flirting with the top 25 in 3 years if he stays.


If he left after 1 year yes it would be sad and frankly say something about the person. Contracts are contracts but in freezes situation he needs his word to mean something. Unlike jon i dont think life as a christian is lived by a contract and minimal expectation. Is it a sin, certainly not but its just not how you treat a friend that helped pick you up when your on the ground and offers you a clean slate. Its because in our current state 1 year would set us back massively. Would he be dishonoring his contract? No, but in his situation and the schools i think youd be hard pressed to say its the honorable decision. Im all for freedom of movement but i also believe in leaving something better than you found it. One year in our situation does not do that.

Part of me says “ get real” we aren’t a P5 team with recruiting power Baylor has in TX - the other part of me says you are right we can get to a top 25 in 3 years BUT there is a dramatic difference between a Baylor and a G5 token top 25 like App State. Once or twice a decade there is a legit top 20 G5 like UCF or Boise but G5 schools just wouldn’t make it with 10 P5 schools on resume. They get that ranking based on W-L records. the gap between G5 and P5 is as big as FCS and G5. I remain steadfast in the belief we can recruit P5 nationally if we avoid the G5 label and play 5 home games and commit to it. But ignoring the difference between P5 and G5 is hazardous and thinking success in a hybrid form but still G5 is extremely dangerous

[jinxy]

Im not saying we would be ranked top 15. Im just saying he took the program with a terrible rep off the mat. The point is just how quickly things can change. Not a specific ranking etc.

[Jonathan Carone]

The quality of our team can change extremely quickly. Freeze has shown he can elevate talent and results very fast.

But what doesn’t change quickly is bowl contracts. We could be 10-2 and still end up in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against the 4th place Sun Belt team because we are independent and don’t have the tie ins to get into more prestigious bowls.

College football is a game of perception and politics. The P5s think they’re better than the AAC. The AAC thinks they’re better than the G5’s. The G5’s think they’re better than the lower independents. No one wants a new team to break into their level.

We can have a very good team really soon, but we’re years of fighting with the politics of college football before we are going to get the same respect or opportunities as the more established schools on the G5 level.

[Jonathan Carone]

On the Baylor comparison:

While they were about as far down as humanly possible, what they did have was three things we don’t:

1) a Power 5 conference to recruit to

2) the state of Texas

3) previous success to point to

There’s a big difference in rebuilding a program and trying to build it for the first time.

[olldflame]

On the Baylor comparison:

While they were about as far down as humanly possible, what they did have was three things we don’t:

1) a Power 5 conference to recruit to

2) the state of Texas

3) previous success to point to

There’s a big difference in rebuilding a program and trying to build it for the first time.

All those plus the fact that, while we are rightly proud of our facilities, their stadium (except for capacity) just may be the best anywhere, and 45,000 seems to be sufficient now, with the capability to expand to 55,000.

[rtb72]

The quality of our team can change extremely quickly. Freeze has shown he can elevate talent and results very fast.

But what doesn’t change quickly is bowl contracts. We could be 10-2 and still end up in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against the 4th place Sun Belt team because we are independent and don’t have the tie ins to get into more prestigious bowls.

College football is a game of perception and politics. The P5s think they’re better than the AAC. The AAC thinks they’re better than the G5’s. The G5’s think they’re better than the lower independents. No one wants a new team to break into their level.

We can have a very good team really soon, but we’re years of fighting with the politics of college football before we are going to get the same respect or opportunities as the more established schools on the G5 level.

I think this a very factual and real summary of college football in general. And in keeping with reality, LU can only do OUR part in trying to break through this present paradigm. LU will always have obstacles presented in the area of politics and respect just because of who we are, what we stand for, and the ever present perception (often times antagonized by our leadership) of LU. Benefits of a conference aside, the only part we control is winning football games and recruiting (which has limitations). We can apply due diligence to scheduling and even recruiting, but our control of those matters only go as far as the other parties involved.
I agree a conference can help us with tie ins and is a consideration for the administration, but at the end of the day....only winning football games consistently will keep us in the fight for other areas attached to conference membership, bowl invites, recruiting, and fan enthusiasm. I guess to me, it really is quite simple, but perhaps my view is overly elementary. There is a piece of our future that just is outside of our control....and I think that is something we all need to come to grips with IMHO (me included)

[ballcoach15]

Bowl tie ins have always puzzled me. How a 6-6 team can automatically go to a certain bowl, ahead of some team that's maybe 9-3 or 10-3, is baffling. I saw something about some Big 10 team having a tie in to Sugar Bowl. No Big 10 team belongs near Sugar Bowl.

[olldflame]

Bowl tie ins have always puzzled me. How a 6-6 team can automatically go to a certain bowl, ahead of some team that's maybe 9-3 or 10-3, is baffling. I saw something about some Big 10 team having a tie in to Sugar Bowl. No Big 10 team belongs near Sugar Bowl.

That's an unbelievably naive position (why am I not shocked?) It's almost (not quite) akin to saying there should be no automatic bids for conference champions in other sports. Do away with tie-ins and every bowl, every year, would become a subjective decision made by committees and college presidents. It would open the door to all sorts of under the table shenanigans, up to and including schools virtually buying their way into their bowl of choice and bowls offering "inducements" to get the school they want to come. The tie-in system may not always work out the way you think it should, but the alternative borders on chaos.

[ballcoach15]

Yes and no.

[olldflame]

Yes and no.

Well, that clarifies things.

[Logic]

However.......

1. Ian has proven he can negotiate better bowl agreements
2. If we keep winning and specifically win our P5 games, the “prestige” of those bowl games increases
3. My glass is half full....and it doesn’t have to be kool-aid

A. They (many of you) said we would languish at the FBS level without more success at the FCS level. How did that turn out?
B. They (many of you) said we can’t move up to independent, it would be a disaster as far as playing for bowl games. How did that turn out?
C. They (many of you) say our potential is capped because of a lack of prestigious bowl games. How will that turn out?

The naysayers on this board have been proven wrong at every turn. It will continue. Now carry on.

[Purple Haize]

However.......

1. Ian has proven he can negotiate better bowl agreements
2. If we keep winning and specifically win our P5 games, the “prestige” of those bowl games increases
3. My glass is half full....and it doesn’t have to be kool-aid

A. They (many of you) said we would languish at the FBS level without more success at the FCS level. How did that turn out?
B. They (many of you) said we can’t move up to independent, it would be a disaster as far as playing for bowl games. How did that turn out?
C. They (many of you) say our potential is capped because of a lack of prestigious bowl games. How will that turn out?

The naysayers on this board have been proven wrong at every turn. It will continue. Now carry on.

A - LU has been FBS exactly 2 years. Name me one significant or signature win in that time? Throttled by a horrible Syracuse team. Beat by Rutgers handily and UVA twice. They have racked up wins against teams who are marginally worse than LU.
B - As stated earlier, if LU is still making trips to The Cure Bowl 3-5 years from now, it’s going to be difficult to call it a success
C - see the above

Those naysayers know the History of Liberty University. It does not include paying a coach $2 million a year. In fact, it includes firing a coach for asking to be paid $60k after a championship run
Those naysayers know that LU values the sizzle more than the steak.
Those naysayers have said that being FBS at least gives LU a seat at the table during the next seismic shift

LU has won 7 games against less than stellar competition. But they are most likely going to a Bowl game and that’s awesome. But to say the move as an Independent will be viable long term because of this one season is way premature

[cruzan_flame13]

Not to be rude, but it is a bit "immature" to stay in the past just because you've experienced it before. It doesn't have to stay that way. I could say to you PH that you stated to me that it was crazy to believe that LU would have opportunities especially at the FBS level when I joined this forum. A couple months later, we became FBS approved. Yes we've just started, but even with the obstacles that looks very possible, there is still possibilities/opportunities that may come out way and that LU will take advantages of. Bottom line is our AD believes that we will be fine in independence for awhile and will look for other opportunities along the way. I will take his word with his experience and success than folks messaging on a forum. It's fine that we talk about things here, but it seems that people take their opinions and assumptions to the next levels as accurate facts.


For what it's worth, having Freeze here for an extension will do alot for the institution at a local and national level in the upcoming decade.

[Purple Haize]

Not to be rude, but it is a bit "immature" to stay in the past just because you've experienced it before. It doesn't have to stay that way. I could say to you PH that you stated to me that it was crazy to believe that LU would have opportunities especially at the FBS level when I joined this forum. A couple months later, we became FBS approved. Yes we've just started, but even with the obstacles that looks very possible, there is still possibilities/opportunities that may come out way and that LU will take advantages of. Bottom line is our AD believes that we will be fine in independence for awhile and will look for other opportunities along the way. I will take his word with his experience and success than folks messaging on a forum. It's fine that we talk about things here, but it seems that people take their opinions and assumptions to the next levels as accurate facts.


For what it's worth, having Freeze here for an extension will do alot for the institution at a local and national level in the upcoming decade.

What’s the old saying? Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it? Changing history and culture takes more than just lightening in a bottle. Which is what LU got in Ian and Freeze. $2 million for a football coach? No one thought that would ever happen (it can even be argued if it should in light of what’s happening with academic personnel)
I’m going to enjoy the ride. But I’m not going to ascribe a “new era” until it becomes a consistent day in day out thing. I really hope it does

[ballah09]

Lets see if this contract extension keeps him here since Memphis boosters are pushing for Freeze. They'll open up the wallet.

[FlamesHighontheTide]

Is this public knowledge that Memphis boosters are pushing for Freeze?

[Purple Haize]

Lets see if this contract extension keeps him here since Memphis boosters are pushing for Freeze. They'll open up the wallet.

Their last two coaches have ended up at ACC schools. I kinda feel Freeze could make that jump from LU if he wanted.