Fulmer could have allowed Freeze to pursue who he wanted on the knowledge that any candidate, especially Freeze, would have to be vetted very hard.
None of this is ever as easy as you imply.
Amen x 1,000,000 = the USA today article where the allegations came out about Freeze's time at Briarcrest was written well over one year ago. A quick google search and boom there it is. Any competent HR administrative professional could have easily found the article that contained those mere allegations - no testimony - no court proceedings - just a handful of allegations (which is in my opinion significantly different that Schiano where there was sworn testimony about him in addition to specific findings of sexual abuse of children at the hands of Sandusky).
However, I digress.
The point is that this OC search just illustrates the ongoing ineptitude of the UT Administration, the Athletic Department, the Trustees and the Boosters. A due diligence investigation should have been conducted before interviewing every candidate especially Hugh Freeze which would have revealed the USA Today article. Point is that the AD and the Administration let Pruitt go down a pretty long road with Freeze only to quash it. Different set of power players but the same keystone cop inept coaching search. And by pretty much all accounts Freeze was Pruitt's #1 candidate - not a good look.
And there you have it. Another mismanaged coaching search. New AD, yet same foolishness...