ESPN reports sources say Willard accepts Villanova job
- Thread starter ru66
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Least kept secret of the year we all knew Willard was going there he always looked annoyed answering the questions about his future
To be honest he always looked annoyed after games at all the schools he's coached at
Villanova is held in extremely high regard in college athletics world.
Not a surprising move.
Not a surprising move.
I don’t think so… SEC has flexed its muscle the last couple years and they probably give a ton of support $$$ that it sounds like Maryland may or may not be able to do
Great move by Willard and 'Nova. Now hopefully interim head coaxh Nardi wins the Crown Tournament and Willard keeps him on staff. Fingers crossed.
I don't know much about anything. I'm not an insider. My preference was that Willard stay. Coaching changes almost always feel crappy to the team losing the coach, whose fans of course turn savagely on that coach, fair or not. As others here have pointed out, the circumstances of how he came to Maryland from Seton Hall are almost identical to what happened this time -- eerily so, right down to the type of statements Coach Willard was making. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, right?
Here is a comment from a super reasonable Maryland fan who is almost always on the mark. He's a likely insider.
Ha ha, he posted this on a Virginia message board. I go there sometimes because it's always fun to see how they make fun of Maryland. Randy is one of the few highly-esteemed Terrapins on this Virginia board.
by the great RandyTerp:
I think Villanova will regret this
I believe they could have done better given their history and resources. Jay Wright likes him and recommended him. That did not go well when Jay recommended Neptune. .The Villanova 247 site is a mixed bag of fans who are concerned if he is a fit and fans who just wanted an experienced Coach. Many are questioning his character on the manner he is leaving MD and the timing of his comments that killed The Sweet 16 vibe for fans and possibly his players. Also told his players he was staying . He liedOn the MD side he was always a luke warm hire .He was an Under Armour pick and most fans thought the coach search was a joke back then. There were more attractive candidates that never got considered.
Nobody was going after Willard back then . Kevin Plank and Under Armour went to bat for him and that relationship is over.
On the MD side the fan base wanted him gone after it became apparent he and his agent had reached out to Villanova snd he had a deal in place before The Tourney. All had to be true as Villanova interviewed no coaching candidates and were waiting for the MD season to end. Some reports now are his Agent reached out to Villanova in February..
This was not about (as he claimed) just trying to get concessions to be able to compete. He met with Brian Ulmann an Assistant to President Pines on Wednesday and worked up a list of things he wanted . Pines agreed to that and the MD got a no he is going to Villanova as a reply Wenesday evening.His claim he never talked to Villanova and maybe his Agent did was BS after the game Thursday
He wanted to be "King of the hill" getting his way like he did st Seton Hall . The 2 examples he gave of not being treated right were being denied anextra night in NYC for his team and concern he wont get to pick his Offices in the new multi million dollar BB Practice Facility being built next to Xfinity Center. He is the 3rd highest paid coach in the Big10 he could have afforded to pay for another night in NYC for his team.
When Gary Williams took the MD job he was told the NCAA sanctions would be light. Instead they were major with a 2 year ban on TV and players being allowed to leave. No one would have blamed him if hetook another job but he stayed snd eventually won a Natty. Gary had a backbone and would fight his battles with the AD. Kevin Willard is s whiny bastard who could have done the same but he is no Gary Williams or a Jay Wright
Villanova is about to discover thatMD will recover and the future should be brighter then having a malcontent as a Head Coach for 4 more years
I guess it depends how you define that. I don’t believe Willard could’ve come in the way Steve did with what was inherited from Eddie Jordan and gotten us to the NCAAs. He would’ve failed with the resources available. On the other hand, Willard clearly is better at managing bigger time recruits.
The way he left SHU, the way he left Maryland, sure seems like this was a done deal a long time ago,(Hey anybody else wonder what was really going on with Nova playing Maryland in the Pru Center?) the shenanigans with the RU Covid game and then playing PSU.
Complaining about hotel accommodation rather than what should have been a magical feel good Maryland story? Maryland was quite good but now it feels like they underachieved. He was frankly lucky to beat Colorado State on what could have easily been a walk called on Queen.
He’s a decent coach who often finds a way to lose a big game. If I were a Nova fan I’m not sure I’d be overwhelmingly happy. Moreover, I’d sleep with one eye open as wouldn’t ever entirely trust him.
Complaining about hotel accommodation rather than what should have been a magical feel good Maryland story? Maryland was quite good but now it feels like they underachieved. He was frankly lucky to beat Colorado State on what could have easily been a walk called on Queen.
He’s a decent coach who often finds a way to lose a big game. If I were a Nova fan I’m not sure I’d be overwhelmingly happy. Moreover, I’d sleep with one eye open as wouldn’t ever entirely trust him.
The words he chose when confronted about his plans were somewhat weaselish (same as when he left Seton Hall for Maryland). He might want to consider hiring some public relations people next time. But there's really no way to handle the process of leaving for a better job without looking like a dick. These things happen...
From the great Jeff Ermann of InsideMDSports:
Maryland tried to keep Kevin Willard around by offering significant increases in salary and program funding, according to a statement from school president Darryll Pines and interim Maryland athletic director Colleen Sorem on Sunday
"Earlier today, Kevin Willard officially announced he would be stepping down as the head coach of our Men's Basketball program to accept another position. Coach Willard led the Terps on an incredible run this season. The Crab 5, Derik Queen's miraculous buzzer-beater, and a Sweet 16 berth. This was a season to remember," they wrote.
Sources close to the situation told IMS that Maryland's administration offered Willard roughly $6 million of the $20.5 million in revenue-sharing to pay players next season, believed to be the highest number in the Big Ten. That casts doubt on his claims that he would sign a new deal if Maryland provided what he painted as relatively minor requests.
From the great Jeff Ermann of InsideMDSports:
Maryland tried to keep Kevin Willard around by offering significant increases in salary and program funding, according to a statement from school president Darryll Pines and interim Maryland athletic director Colleen Sorem on Sunday
"Earlier today, Kevin Willard officially announced he would be stepping down as the head coach of our Men's Basketball program to accept another position. Coach Willard led the Terps on an incredible run this season. The Crab 5, Derik Queen's miraculous buzzer-beater, and a Sweet 16 berth. This was a season to remember," they wrote.
Sources close to the situation told IMS that Maryland's administration offered Willard roughly $6 million of the $20.5 million in revenue-sharing to pay players next season, believed to be the highest number in the Big Ten. That casts doubt on his claims that he would sign a new deal if Maryland provided what he painted as relatively minor requests.
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I agree-----if he hadn't been transparent about it and went public 2 hours after their last game they would be calling him an A-1 rat bastard. That's been done many times.
There isn't any good way to do it without someone getting their feelings hurt.
There isn't any good way to do it without someone getting their feelings hurt.
Head Coaches leave for higher salaries, a better program and for many many other reasons.
What Willard has done has been standard practice since college programs started poaching coaches from one another and Head Coaches decided the program they're at isn't a good fit anymore.
Some college basketball fans will find fault when a coach jumps from one program to another and other fans will just say it's just the way the coaching profession is so accept it and just wonder who will replace him.
I'm wondering if Maryland will be willing to beat the salary Buzz Williams is getting at TAM or if Buzz will take less and take the position rumor has him wanting to have now that Maryland needs a HC.
Or will Maryland wait for a new AD to be hired before HC hunting in earnest
My guess is Maryland will pay the price to get a Buzz before they hire an AD.
Williams is getting $4.8 mil from TA&M , Maryland was supposed to have offered Willard $6 Mil to stay, so more than likely will give Williams that or $5+ mil to lead the Turtles
What Willard has done has been standard practice since college programs started poaching coaches from one another and Head Coaches decided the program they're at isn't a good fit anymore.
Some college basketball fans will find fault when a coach jumps from one program to another and other fans will just say it's just the way the coaching profession is so accept it and just wonder who will replace him.
I'm wondering if Maryland will be willing to beat the salary Buzz Williams is getting at TAM or if Buzz will take less and take the position rumor has him wanting to have now that Maryland needs a HC.
Or will Maryland wait for a new AD to be hired before HC hunting in earnest
My guess is Maryland will pay the price to get a Buzz before they hire an AD.
Williams is getting $4.8 mil from TA&M , Maryland was supposed to have offered Willard $6 Mil to stay, so more than likely will give Williams that or $5+ mil to lead the Turtles
Agree that what Willard did isn't that big of a deal at the end of the day. He just isn't very tactful, and not extremely likeable from a distance, so it's a bad look when he's wearing it. It was an incredibly precarious situation -- the "Perfect Storm," if you will. AD just left, team is still playing in Sweet Sixteen, monster program came calling for him but needs to move fast.
They are going full-speed ahead on a new coach without waiting for an athletic director to be hired.
The "Buzz buzz" is fading...
Is George Mason's HC Tony Skinn being looked at by Maryland fans as a possible hire since he has done an excellent job there and was a Turtle assistant a few years ago
His contract was extended to 2029 a few days ago, but if Maryland wants him the buyout shouldn't be a problem. $995,000 a year could be made up paying less that it would take someone like Buzz to come
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Skinn's name comes up. If it's a relative nobody, American University coach Duane Simpkins is more likely in my opinion, as he is considered a Maryland guy through and through (his team got to the "First Four" of the NCAA's this season). Simpkins played four years for St. Gary Williams, ha ha...
One big name in people's mouths at the moment is an assistant coach from UConn named Murray. He must be pretty good but I have no idea...
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