Liberty Football

Liberty football head coach Hugh Freeze is returning to the SEC.

The Auburn Tigers announced Monday they had hired Freeze as the 31st head coach in the football program's history. ESPN's Chris Low previously reported a deal was done.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Freeze's deal will be for six years and have an average salary of $6.5 million per year.

Freeze had previously coached at Ole Miss from 2012 to 2016. He resigned prior to the 2017 season after admitting to personal misconduct.

Thamel reported Saturday that Freeze and Auburn had informally been engaged in contract discussions for "more than a week," with an offer expected to come after Saturday's Iron Bowl against No. 7 Alabama. The Tigers lost the game 49-27 to end the regular season with a 5-7 record and 2-6 conference record, ranking sixth in the SEC West.

Freeze coached Liberty to an 8-4 record this season, though the Flames ended the year with three consecutive losses. Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger added that Auburn will owe Liberty "around $3 million" as part of a buyout for hiring Freeze.

Since being hired by Liberty in December 2018, the 53-year-old led the team to a 34-15 record over four seasons and helped the Flames qualify for bowl games for the first time in program history. The Flames gone 3-0 in postseason matchups under Freeze.

During his time at Ole Miss, Freeze had coached the Rebels to a 39-25 record.

An NCAA investigation uncovered recruiting violations, most of which occurred under Freeze, while school officials found Freeze used a university cellphone to contact a number affiliated with an escort service. Following the NCAA investigation, Ole Miss had to vacate 33 wins, 27 of which were under Freeze. Sanctions also included a two-year postseason ban, a three-year probation period and scholarship reductions.

Freeze has only had one losing season in his 12 years as a college football head coach. He now will be at the helm of an Auburn program that hasn't finished higher than third in the SEC West since 2017 and has lost three consecutive bowl games.

Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze is reportedly in discussions with Auburn about filling the Tigers' head coaching vacancy after Saturday's Iron Bowl against Alabama.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the sides have been in talks about contract terms "for more than [a] week" but a formal offer isn't expected until after the regular season wraps up against the Crimson Tide.

The emergence of Freeze as the potential favorite comes as links between Auburn and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin have "significantly cooled" in recent days, per Thamel.

Freeze has guided Liberty to an 8-3 record ahead of its regular-season finale against New Mexico State on Saturday. The Flames own a 34-14 mark since he took over the program ahead of the 2019 campaign.

The 53-year-old Mississippi native has SEC experience, guiding Ole Miss to a 39-25 record across five seasons starting in 2012, and led the Arkansas State coaching staff for one year in 2011.

Freeze resigned from his role with the Rebels in 2017 after then-Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork said the university found a "troubling" pattern of calls on his school-issued cellphone, including calls to a female escort service.

"All the walls came crumbling down when what I thought was a private sin that I had struggled with, confessed to my wife to two of my friends in 2016, that I thought I was dealing with and was in my rear-view mirror, when it became public knowledge," Freeze said in 2018.

If hired, he'll be tasked with transforming Auburn back into a consistent contender. The Tigers haven't finished inside the postseason Top 25 since 2019.

Meanwhile, the Kiffin rumors have begun to fade, with his family expressing their desire to remain in Mississippi, per Thamel.

Kiffin was asked Thursday whether he expected to remain with the Rebels for 2023 and provided a simple response: "Yes, I do."

Ole Miss finished the regular season at 8-4 after a rivalry loss to Mississippi State on Thursday night.

Saturday's Iron Bowl is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS. A clearer outlook about Auburn's next head coach should come after the contest, with Freeze seemingly holding the inside track.

Liberty University and head football coach Hugh Freeze reportedly have reached an agreement on an eight-year contract extension through the 2030 season.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Friday the new deal "averages just under $5 million per year," bringing the total salary to around $40 million.

Freeze has compiled a 33-12 record since being hired by Liberty in December 2018. That includes a 7-1 mark so far this season, with the only loss coming against then-No. 19 Wake Forest by one point in mid-September.

After last week's win over BYU, the 53-year-old coach said he hoped the Flames would begin getting some respect from the poll voters.

"I would think we would probably get a few votes here and there, but you've got to go to Arkansas next," Freeze told reporters. "If you don't get it done against an SEC team, they just drop you out of it. How much value we put on that is pretty small, really. Now, at the end of the season, I think there's some value that would be put on that if we end up in it."

Liberty ended up in the "also receiving votes" section of both the Associated Press and Coaches polls.

Freeze previously compiled a 39-25 record across five years at Ole Miss, though 27 of those victories were later vacated following an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations by the program. The team lost a total of 33 wins as part of the punishment.

He resigned from his role with the Rebels in July 2017 after a separate investigation into allegations he called a female escort service, which the school said also showed a "concerning pattern" of use from his university-issued phone.

Before his time at Ole Miss, Freeze served as head coach at Lambuth and Arkansas State.

The Flames' clash with the Razorbacks is scheduled for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday at the Hogs' Razorback Stadium.

With the 2022 NFL draft just a week away, there is still much debate over the top quarterback prospect in this year's class.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network recently spoke to people around the league and at least one person believes that distinction undoubtedly goes to Malik Willis.

"To me, he's the No. 1 guy in the class," an AFC general manager said of Willis. "And for whatever people want to talk about in terms of readiness or all this other stuff--it was the same thing with Josh Allen, it was the same thing with Patrick Mahomes. I think people are a little short-sighted with that kid." 

With the Jacksonville Jaguars holding the top pick, this will be the first time since 2017 that a quarterback isn't selected with the No. 1 overall pick. The Jaguars selected signal caller Trevor Lawrence with the first pick in 2021.

Many believe that the first quarterback taken in this year's draft will be either Willis or Kenny Pickett, but there is no consensus as to which team will pull the trigger on selecting a QB.

For instance, the Carolina Panthers with the sixth pick and the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth pick both lack long-term answers under center, but both team could choose to address other needs with their picks considering the amount of talent in this year's class at different positions. If both those teams pass on a quarterback, it's likely that one won't be selected until the late teen's or early 20's.

Willis threw for 2,857 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 878 yards on the ground and 13 rushing touchdowns last season at Liberty. He had a strong showing at the NFL scouting combine last month, displaying his cannon of an arm.

Whichever team selects Willis will be getting a promising young quarterback who has the tools to develop into one of the best in the league. The only question remaining is what team is willing to take a chance on him.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a young quarterback in Jalen Hurts, but that apparently hasn't stopped them from doing some homework on Liberty signal-caller Malik Willis ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (h/t Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP), Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze revealed he spoke with assistant special teams coordinator Joe Pannunzio and the Eagles about Willis.

"Philadelphia has called here recently," Freeze said. "I talked to them a lot last night. … I talked to Coach (Joe) Pannunzio last night. I think he is in their personnel. We go back from our days in the SEC together. He was definitely calling on behalf of them with some more conversation."

Philadelphia isn't the only team that contacted Freeze, who said he also talked to the Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler listed the Panthers and Falcons as potential landing spots when he reported Tuesday that "it would be a major surprise if Malik falls out of the top 20."

Sam Darnold (Carolina), Marcus Mariota (Atlanta), Mitchell Trubisky (Pittsburgh) and Drew Lock (Seattle) are not exactly surefire franchise quarterbacks for the next decade, so it isn't particularly surprising those teams have been connected to one of the top quarterbacks in this draft class.

Where quarterbacks will go in this draft remains one of the biggest mysteries as April 28 approaches.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected the Liberty playmaker to go No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions in its most recent mock draft and pointed to his "very good arm strength that can drive on intermediate throws" and ability to "attack all parts of the field with his arm" in a scouting report.

Willis' best attribute is likely his running ability as evidenced by his 878 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground in his last college season.

Philadelphia has the Nos. 15 and 18 picks in the first round, and Willis may very well be gone by those selections. Perhaps it was just trying to get a better sense of where the quarterback will go in the draft when talking to Freeze, which would, in turn, impact its strategy and big board.

As for Hurts, he is just 23 years old but consistency as a thrower has been an issue at times. He completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season and would likely still be the starter even if the Eagles did select Willis.          

One day after Kenny Pickett had his pro day at Pittsburgh, Malik Willis got his moment in the spotlight Tuesday. 

The star quarterback took part in Liberty's pro day as he looks to continue improving his stock for the 2022 NFL draft. 

Based on the initial returns from his performance, Willis appears to have done himself a lot of favors. He threw 69 passes in a scripted workout, completing 64 of them. 

The workout seemed designed to showcase Willis' arm talent, especially accuracy on deep balls.  

This wasn't a surprise for anyone who has followed Willis' college career and through the predraft process. 

B/R's Nate Tice had this to say about Willis' throwing arm in his scouting report: 

When Willis is in rhythm, his arm strength pops off the screen. He throws a catchable deep ball and can drive intermediate throws into tight spaces. When he's able to anticipate throws—usually on the outside or on RPOs—he flashes good accuracy. Willis is able to easily break a defense’s contain with his agility and burst, and he has the ability to flip his hips and change arm angles when throwing on the move while also remaining accurate.

The questions about Willis have primarily revolved around his ability to throw in rhythm and play in the pocket. 

Tice noted Willis typically has to "see receivers come open" and will work his way "back in the pocket too often, which will be punished at the NFL level."

Even with some big question marks left to answer, Willis seems to be separating himself from the pack as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2022 draft class. Pro Football Focus' Doug Kyed noted the 22-year-old is "the consensus favorite among NFL front offices based on his upside."

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Willis going at No. 20 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in his latest mock draft. 

There could be some fire to that smoke, as Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert were both seen in attendance to take in the action. Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was also on the Lynchburg, Virginia, campus. 

Several teams in need of a long-term solution at quarterback have put themselves in a position to potentially select one early in the first round.

The Detroit Lions (No. 2), Houston Texans (No. 3), Panthers (No. 6), Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 9) don't have a proven starter at quarterback right now. 

Willis has a long way to go with his development, but there seems to be no doubt that the potential for stardom is there. He just has to find the right situation with the right coach who can give him the time needed to harness his skills at the NFL level. 

The Washington Commanders were reportedly doing their "due diligence" on Liberty quarterback Malik Willis while attending the Flames' pro day on Tuesday.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the update on Willis, one of the top QB prospects in the 2022 draft, during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show:

The Commanders previously acquired quarterback Carson Wentz in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

It's unlikely Washington would have made the deal for Wentz unless it viewed him as a surefire starter to open the 2022 campaign.

That said, the Commanders can get out of his four-year, $128 million contract, which is scheduled to run through 2024, next offseason without leaving any dead cap space. So if he fails to assert himself as their new franchise quarterback, it could be a short tenure in the nation's capital.

His uncertain long-term status is probably why the team's front office is at least taking a look at the draft's top signal-callers.

Willis possesses the most upside of any quarterback in the class. He spent his first two college seasons as a reserve at Auburn before transferring to Liberty for a chance to start.

He completed 62.4 percent of his throws for 5,107 yards with 47 touchdowns and 18 interceptions across 23 appearances for the Flames. He added 1,835 rushing yards and 27 scores on the ground.

While those numbers come with the caveat they were compiled against lower-level competition than he would have faced with Auburn in the SEC, they still represent the type of dual-threat playmaking ability that's built for the modern NFL.

Willis has the arm strength to hit any window on the field, but the key questions have surrounded whether he's accurate enough to thrive at the next level.

He explained at the NFL Scouting Combine in early March his misses in college were mostly related to his footwork.

"That's where some of the flaws in my game come from, maybe some inaccuracies," Willis told reporters. "It's just from footwork. It's not from just being inaccurate."

If Willis works through those issues and starts hitting receivers in stride on intermediate and deep throws, he's got all the other tools to become a Pro Bowl quarterback.

A year on the sideline to continue those progressions while also learning about NFL defenses, which represents a steep learning curve from what he faced in college, wouldn't be a bad thing. Landing with a team like Washington could work over the long haul.

That said, the Commanders have a chance to seriously compete in the NFC this season if Wentz provides stability under center, so using the No. 11 overall pick on a prospect who could make an instant impact seems more likely.

While Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett has received plenty of attention leading up to the 2022 NFL draft, two other signal-callers apparently impressed at the combine and got people talking. 

Liberty's Malik Willis and Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder received high praise from insiders after the combine, according to ESPN's Todd McShay: 

With Malik Willis, the one thing that really stood out, almost every single person I talked to in the league, and I asked a lot of them about Malik specifically... they said that his interview was one of the best. Not just the character and the charisma that he has... but also the football intelligence.

... Desmond Ridder was another guy that people were raving about. Talking about his maturity. Talking about his path and what he had gone through as a youngster and overcoming all of that and his football intelligence.

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter listed Willis as one of the winners from the combine, saying he "consistently made things look easy on Thursday night." Reuter added that Willis did well with his deep throws and slants. 

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department also says Willis is a great athlete, has good arm strength, good build and is a tough, competitive quarterback. 

The 22-year-old had an impressive four-year collegiate career. He played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Auburn before transferring to Liberty ahead of the 2020 season.

Willis had arguably the best season of his collegiate career in 2021, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also ran for 878 yards and 13 scores. 

Ridder was also considered one of the winners of the combine after he showed off his incredible arm strength during on-field testing. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department also lauds Ridder for being a good athlete and having good arm strength and movement in the pocket. 

Like Willis, Ridder also had the best season of his collegiate career in 2021. He completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns against eight interceptions to lead the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff. He also ran for 355 yards and six scores. 

Post-combine NFL mock drafts have yet to come out. However, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Pickett being the first quarterback off the board (No. 11 to Washington Commanders) in his latest mock draft, which came out before the combine.

That could change in his post-combine mock draft, especially based on the performances of Willis and Ridder. 

Kiper currently has Willis going 20th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he isn't projecting Ridder to be selected in the first round. Ole Miss signal-caller Matt Corral is the only other quarterback whom Kiper has being picked on the first day, at 32nd overall to the Detroit Lions. 

In addition to Washington, Pittsburgh and Detroit, the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. And seeing as there's no clear-cut No. 1 quarterback option in this year's draft, these teams could end up selecting a player whom they believe is best for their system overall.