Hugh Freeze has proven he can coach — and win in the SEC. Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee fans make clear their preference for Vols’ next head coach

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 1/19/21

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Tennessee is looking for a new head football coach. And their fans apparently have a preference.

Tennessee on Monday announced that head football coach Jeremy Pruitt was fired. Philip Fulmer is also stepping down as athletic director.

The Vols will need to hire a new athletic director, who will then hire a new head coach.

So who do some Vols fans want as the next head coach? The Rock in Knoxville, which is a campus landmark, said Monday “Freeze Please.”

The Rock at Tennessee currently says "FREEZE PLEASE"

Does Hugh Freeze have a shot? Jamey Chadwell? Billy Napier? What about Gus Malzahn?

The options for Tennessee and where the #Vols search could go: https://t.co/ueTqqdsXhq pic.twitter.com/EqqJvOHv9T

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 19, 2021

That seems to be the fans’ way of asking for Hugh Freeze.

Freeze, 51, coached at Ole Miss from 2012-2016. He was successful there but exited amid scandal. He returned to coaching at Liberty, which he led to a 10-1 season.

Freeze has proven he can coach — and win in the SEC. But if Tennessee is concerned about character and ethics following the Pruitt firing, Freeze wouldn’t make sense as a fit.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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