What appeared inevitable for greater than per week is now determined: Kevin Willard is leaving Maryland after three seasons to be the following coach at Villanova, sources instructed CBS Sports activities.
Willard met Saturday afternoon with Villanova officers, agreeing to a deal quickly thereafter. Maryland scheduled a workforce assembly Sunday morning, per reviews, during which the expectation is Willard will inform his gamers he is leaving.
The 49-year-old’s job swap marks the end of a public and messy saga that performed out partially as a result of Willard, previously week, overtly talked about his points with the way in which Maryland funds its males’s basketball program. He additionally by no means denied involvement with Villanova, the place he turned a rumored candidate a number of days after Kyle Neptune was fired March 15.
“I would like this program to be nice,” Willard said of Maryland last weekend while in Seattle for the Terrapins’ journey for the primary and second rounds. “I would like it to be one of the best within the nation, I wish to win a nationwide championship, however there’s issues that want to vary. … We have been one of many worst, if not lowest, within the NIL within the final two years. In order that’s in the beginning.”
Maryland was knocked out of the match within the Candy 16 on Thursday evening by top-seeded Florida 87-71. The Terps completed 27-9, their final win coming in the second round on a buzzer-beater from fab freshman Derik Queen.
Willard strolling away from Maryland felt increasingly doubtless from throughout the program within the lead-up to the workforce’s recreation towards Florida, sources mentioned. One other supply shared that Willard had been non-responsive to some influential Maryland folks in current days, which elevated the frustration from Maryland’s facet.
In selecting Villanova — a non-public faculty, which implies it doesn’t need to disclose contract phrases — Willard is strolling away from Maryland’s provide, which was within the neighborhood of $6 million yearly, a supply instructed CBS Sports activities. He is additionally fleeing from a scenario that, largely of his personal doing, had gotten exceedingly poisonous because the NCAA Match continued. With Willard’s enterprise being so out within the open, he turned a pariah for Maryland supporters. Returning to Faculty Park was not a fascinating possibility; he is now an enemy for a lot of that fan base.
In selecting Villanova, Willard will return to the Massive East, a league he coached in for a dozen years. Willard gained 225 video games at Seton Hall however solely gained one NCAA tourney recreation. His Candy 16 run with Maryland is the one time he is coached a workforce to the second weekend of March Madness. His profession file is 335-249 (.574).
The choice on Villanova’s facet comes after the college thought-about Richard Pitino, Porter Moser and some extra notable candidates who privately expressed curiosity, in response to sources.
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With Maryland opening, this system will likely be in for a significant reset at an inopportune time. It is the one high-major job with out a head coach in the meanwhile. The varsity has no full-time athletic director after former AD Damon Evans left previously week to take the identical job at SMU. Maryland’s “Crab 5” starters could properly have all have performed their final recreation for the college resulting from NBA curiosity, commencement and/or NIL alternatives that await within the portal.
With out a full-time AD, and with a president that is not overly invested within the sports activities facet of operating a college, Maryland will depend on a search agency to land its subsequent coach. Potential names may embrace the likes of Texas A&M‘s Buzz Williams, Penn State‘s Mike Rhoades, American‘s Duane Simpkins and George Mason‘s Tony Skinn. Along with these 4, a swarm of Maryland followers on-line have been buzzing about one non-head coach with championship pedigree: 39-year-old UConn assistant Luke Murray.
