Liberty Coach Hugh Freeze Tests Positive for COVID-19

Liberty coach Hugh Freeze has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced on Friday.

Liberty coach Hugh Freeze has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced on Friday.

Freeze received the positive test result earlier this week and is experiencing mild symptoms. The second-year Flames coach is currently self-isolating at home.

"He looks forward to rejoining the team for bowl game preparation, next week," the school said in a statement.

Flames Nation is asked to keep @CoachHughFreeze in your prayers for a speedy recovery.#PrayForCoachFreeze pic.twitter.com/YPfra2h7aX

— Liberty Football (@LibertyFootball) December 11, 2020

Freeze told CBS Sports that his current symptoms are sinus congestion, body and backaches, fatigue and a loss of taste and smell.

The Flames' regular season is over following a 45–0 win over UMass on Nov. 27 to finish the season 9–1. They were set to play Coastal Carolina on Dec. 5 but had to cancel the game due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program. BYU booked a last-minute trip to South Carolina to play the Chanticleers instead. Liberty is waiting to hear which bowl game it will be invited to.

Freeze joins a list of over 20 college football coaches who have tested positive for COVID-19 this season. Alabama's Nick Saban, Ohio State's Ryan Day and Florida State's Dan Mullen also are among the group.

Freeze is only the second member of Liberty's program to publicly announce testing positive for the virus. Redshirt freshman linebacker Carl Poole said he missed the Flames' 38–35 victory at Virginia Tech on Nov. 7 due to a positive test result. Poole's symptoms were the loss of taste and smell.