The wife of a college football coach who resigned after it was learned he called prostitutes for years says her religion commanded her to ‘instantly’ forgive him, it was learned on Wednesday.
Hugh Freeze, a married father of three children, stepped down as the head football coach at Ole Miss in July after school officials investigated his phone records and found he had called a number linked to an escort service.
In his first public appearance since his resignation, Freeze and his wife, Jill, spoke about the ordeal during a convocation held by Liberty University.
LU, whose campus is located in Lynchburg, Virginia, was founded by the late Christian evangelical leader Jerry Falwell.
Jill Freeze moved her husband to tears, telling the assembled crowd that her faith led her to forgive him after he confessed to her in 2016.
Jill Freeze (right) moved her husband, Hugh Freeze (left), to tears, telling the assembled crowd that her faith led her to forgive him after he confessed to her in 2016
Hugh Freeze (seen right talking to Shea Patterson of the Mississippi Rebels) stepped down as the head football coach at Ole Miss in July after school officials investigated his phone records and found he had called a number linked to an escort service
‘I can remember that moment of just screaming in my head,’ Jill Freeze said.
‘My prayer was this very eloquent prayer – “God, help me”.
‘That was it. And immediately it was like, are you going to focus on your hurt or are you going to focus on your healing?
‘And I’m like, “I want healing”.
‘In that immediately I was able to see him.
‘His heart. I mean, I’ve lived with [Hugh] for 25 years. This man is the godliest man I have ever known.
‘I am who I am in Christ because of this man and the impact and influence he has had on me.’
As Jill Freeze spoke, her husband could be seen fighting back tears.
She said that her husband would ‘do what it takes to get right with God,’ which is why she immediately forgave him.
‘That was the beginning of my healing, and it was instant forgiveness for him,’ she said.
‘It led me to, “I can see that he had some bad traits. You know? He had some bad traits”.
As Jill Freeze spoke, her husband could be seen fighting back tears. She said that her husband would ‘do what it takes to get right with God,’ which is why she immediately forgave him
‘And God, in his greatness, instead of me focusing on [Hugh’s] bad traits, he said, “Jill, what are your bad traits?”
‘I’ve got a whole lot of bad traits, and he’s forgiven me way more than I’ve had to forgive him over 25 years.’
Hugh Freeze resigned last July 20 after university officials found a ‘pattern of personal misconduct’ that started with the school’s investigation into a call to an escort service.
Freeze’s resignation brings a stunning end to a five-year tenure that saw a Sugar Bowl victory, but also a wide-ranging NCAA investigation into rules violations.
His ultimate downfall came after school officials investigated Freeze’s phone records and found misconduct.
Freeze’s university cell phone records show a 1-minute call made on Jan. 19, 2016, to a Detroit-based number.
An internet search shows the number linked to a site that offers various escort services.
Freeze and his wife Jill have been married for 25 years and have three daughters: Ragan, Madison, and Jordan.
It was a civil lawsuit from Houston Nutt – who coached Ole Miss from 2008 to ’11 – against the university that unearthed the phone records that eventually revealed Freeze’s school-issued cellphone had dialed an escort service on at least one occasion.
‘In our analysis, we discovered a pattern of conduct that is not consistent with our expectations as the leader of our football program,’ said athletic director Ross Bjork.
‘As of yesterday, there appeared to be a concerning pattern.’
Bjork said the school’s investigation started last week after an outside Freedom of Information request revealed a concerning phone call that lasted less than a minute. The school then looked into the rest of his phone records and found more problems.
Hugh Freeze resigned last July 20 after university officials found a ‘pattern of personal misconduct’ that started with the school’s investigation into a call to an escort service. Freeze’s resignation brings a stunning end to a five-year tenure that saw a Sugar Bowl victory
Bjork said Freeze ‘admitted the conduct’ and that the coach offered his resignation.
When pressed to explain Freeze’s conduct, Bjork said the school needed to ‘protect that information.’
‘His privacy is important,’ said Bjork. ‘The conduct was just not something we could continue with as our head coach.’
Co-offensive coordinator Matt Luke, who was named the interim coach after Freeze’s departure, was later given the full-time position.
The Rebels had a quick rise under Freeze, recruiting at a high level and reaching an apex with a Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma State following the 2015 season.
But an NCAA investigation – alleging 21 charges of academic, booster, and recruiting misconduct – has overshadowed much of that success, especially over the past year.
The school has already self-imposed several penalties, including a one-year postseason ban for the upcoming season.
Freeze – who was making more than $5 million per year – had a 39-25 record over five seasons, including a 19-21 mark in the Southeastern Conference.
Bjork said that Freeze will receive no buyout on his contract.
Freeze’s shocking exit – just a few weeks before preseason camp begins – completes a stunning fall for a coach considered one of the profession’s rising stars a few years ago.
Freeze took over after Houston Nutt was fired during a miserable 2011 season that ended with a 2-10 record.
Ole Miss immediately improved under Freeze, finishing 7-6 in 2012 and winning the Birmingham Bowl.