What seemed inevitable for more than a week is now decided: Kevin Willard has left Maryland after three seasons to be the next coach at Villanova.
Villanova made it official with a Sunday morning announcement.
Willard met Saturday afternoon with Villanova officials, agreeing to a deal soon thereafter, sources told CBS Sports. Maryland scheduled a team meeting Sunday morning, wherein its players would be told Willard was leaving the program.
“Villanova Basketball has a deep tradition of excellence and a culture that is second to none in college basketball,” Willard said in a statement released by the school. “We are thrilled to be a part of it and join the Villanova community.”
The 49-year-old’s job swap marks the end of a public and messy saga that played out in part because Willard, in the past week-plus, openly talked about his issues with the way Maryland funds its men’s basketball program. He also never denied involvement with Villanova, where he became a rumored candidate a few days after Kyle Neptune was fired March 15.
“I want this program to be great,” Willard said of Maryland last weekend while in Seattle for the Terrapins’ trip for the first and second rounds. “I want it to be the best in the country, I want to win a national championship, but there’s things that need to change. … We’ve been one of the worst, if not lowest, in the NIL in the last two years. So that’s first and foremost.”
Maryland was knocked out of the tournament in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night by top-seeded Florida 87-71. The Terps finished 27-9, their final win coming in the second round on a buzzer-beater from fab freshman Derik Queen.
Willard walking away from Maryland felt more and more likely from within the program in the lead-up to the team’s game against Florida, sources said. Another source shared that Willard had been non-responsive to some influential Maryland people in recent days, which increased the frustration from Maryland’s side.
In choosing Villanova — a private school, which means it does not have to disclose contract terms — Willard is walking away from Maryland’s offer, which was in the vicinity of $6 million annually, a source told CBS Sports. He’s also fleeing from a situation that, largely of his own doing, had gotten exceedingly toxic as the NCAA Tournament continued. With Willard’s business being so out in the open, he became a pariah for Maryland supporters. Returning to College Park was not a desirable option; he’s now an enemy for much of that fan base.
Willard returns to the Big East, a league he coached in for a dozen years. Willard won 225 games at Seton Hall but only won one NCAA tourney game. His Sweet 16 run with Maryland is the only time he’s coached a team to the second weekend of March Madness. His career record is 335-249 (.574).
The decision on Villanova’s side comes after the school considered Richard Pitino, Porter Moser and a few more notable candidates who privately expressed interest, according to sources.
“Coach Willard is an outstanding leader of young men and brings extensive experience and success as a head coach to Villanova,” Villanova athletic director Eric Roedl said. “We are excited about the future of Villanova Basketball under his leadership, and look forward to welcoming Coach, his wife Julie, and their sons — Colin and Chase — to the Villanova community.”
Maryland basketball coaching candidates after Kevin Willard’s exit, headlined by Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams
Isaac Trotter
With Maryland opening, the program will be in for a major reset at an inopportune time. It’s the only high-major job without a head coach at the moment. The school has no full-time athletic director after former AD Damon Evans left in the past week to take the same job at SMU. Maryland’s “Crab Five” starters may well have all have played their last game for the school due to NBA interest, graduation and/or NIL opportunities that await in the portal.
Without a full-time AD, and with a president that isn’t overly invested in the sports side of running a university, Maryland will rely on a search firm to land its next coach. Potential names could include the likes of Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams, Penn State’s Mike Rhoades, American’s Duane Simpkins and George Mason’s Tony Skinn. In addition to those four, a swarm of Maryland fans online have been buzzing about one non-head coach with championship pedigree: 39-year-old UConn assistant Luke Murray.
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