This afternoon, Liberty head coach Turner Gill announced he is retiring.

“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my retirement from coaching,” Gill said in a statement. “In the summer of 2016, my wife Gayle was diagnosed with a heart condition. Both Gayle and I wanted to be here to help Liberty through their transition and we are so glad to have done so. We have come to the realization that it is now time for me to step away. I can’t put into words how much this coaching staff, support staff and the players mean to us. We are so thankful for President Falwell, Becki Falwell and Ian McCaw and their support during our time here. They, as well as all of those mentioned, have been and will continue to be blessings in our lives. To God be the glory!”

Immediately speculation began that Hugh Freeze would be the choice to succeed Gill. Freeze has a well established connection with the University and its leadership.

In January Freeze gave his first public talk there.

So we asked the question: is Hugh actually a legitimate candidate? The response we received from a source connected to Liberty is that the school has already advanced the discussions. A source tells FootballScoop Hugh Freeze is indeed a strong candidate at Liberty.

As a private university, Liberty has the ability to move fast here. Source told us this one could come together quickly. However, source tells FootballScoop other candidates will be interviewed as well.

For those unfamiliar, a look at Liberty’s facilities:

Stay tuned to The Scoop for all the latest coaching job information.

Update> Source tells FootballScoop prior to Liberty opening, Hugh Freeze had spent considerable time speaking with Willie Taggart today. Taggart’s offensive coordinator Walt Bell has accepted the head coaching position at UMass. Stay tuned to see how this plays out…