Hugh Freeze Jr. is an American football coach who currently manages the Liberty University team. Freeze’s coaching stint dates back to his days as football coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee, where he coached NFL heavyweights such as Michael Oher and Greg Hardy. His career has seen him coach the teams of Lambuth University (2008 to 2009), Arkansas State University (2011), and the University of Mississippi—aka Ole Miss—from 2012 to 2016. As his profile continues to soar, college football lovers are keen to know Hugh Freeze beyond the pitch, more importantly, the woman in his life; Jill Freeze. Together with her husband, Jill Freeze is a parent to their three teenage daughters and remains a major backbone to her husband’s coaching career. This piece tells you more about her.  

Who Is Jill Freeze?

Jill Freeze was born in Louisville, Mississippi, the United State to a conservative Christian family. Though not much is publicly known about her early life as she came to fame only through her husband’s success, the latter part of her life hasn’t been so obscure. Jill Freeze grew up in Louisville where she attended high school. Following her graduation from high school, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

She also holds a Master of Secondary Education degree. After her studies, Jill worked in the education sector for ten years where she taught several high school grades. Today Jill Freeze believes she is called to reach out to wives of other football coaches. She gives the best part of her time to this cause and to the foundation she and her husband runs. Through her social media handles, Jill Freeze shares her faith with her followers through the Bible verses and inspirational quotes she uploads from time to time. 

Other Facts About Hugh Freeze’s Wife

She’s Been Married Since 1992

Jill and Hugh have been married since July 1992. The couple first met as undergraduate students at the University of Southern Mississippi. It wasn’t love at first sight for the duo, but they grew to love each other over the years. They exchanged vows on July 25, 1992, at a Baptist church in Independence, Mississippi. After which they honeymooned at Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Together, they have three beautiful daughters: Ragan, Jordan, and Madison.

Jill Freeze Co-founded the Freeze Foundation 

In 2014, Jill Freeze and her husband started The Freeze Foundation. It was an effort to help children in need. According to Jill and Hugh, the mission of the Freeze Foundation is to express God’s love by improving the quality of life for orphans and needy children around the world. While the Freeze Foundation is especially geared towards orphans, the underlying mission is for needy children in general. Whether it is a sick child in America or an orphan in Africa, the Freeze Foundation wants to make an impact.

Jill Freeze Leads a Weekly Bible Study Group

When she’s not on the stands supporting her husband, Jill is back home leading a weekly Bible Study for wives of all the football staff. Jill Freeze believes that there are certain times during the football season that are naturally harder on a marriage than others. And so she also offers guidance and mentorship to younger wives of the university football staff. According to Jill, members of the study group all take the list of the school’s players, walk-ons, red shirts—all of them—and divide it up and pray for those on their list by name, for that week. Group members also send out cards to these players every Thursday of the same week and the difference it all makes in these young men is remarkable, to say the least.

The Freeze Family was the inspiration behind the book and later movie, The Blind Side

Although the book titled The Blindside didn’t bring the Freeze family into the limelight, everything changed when the book got adapted into a movie, The Blind Side (2009). It chronicled the true story of offensive lineman Michael Oher and how the young player/student found solace in the Freezes, from his violent and abusive background. At the time, Hugh Freeze was Oher’s high school coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee. During those periods, Oher would stay at the Freezes’ house at times as Jill tutored him through his school work.