Who me? Willard downplays criticism by unhappy Maryland as he takes Villanova job
PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Willard deadpanned — no, he hadn't heard the laundry list of complaints lodged against him by Maryland fans and former players and, well, the list goes on — he threw his program under the bus and then happily got behind the wheel to steamroll over their carcass all while the Terrapins made a run to the Sweet 16.
But yes, Willard confessed, he was generally aware of the consensus sentiment he used Maryland as just a pawn to get whatever it was he wanted at a traditional power such as Villanova.
So perhaps Willard knew Maryland alumnus and ESPN star Scott Van Pelt went scorched earth on him and said, among many criticisms levied, “you don’t do damage to the university and program where you’ve been for three years.” So perhaps Willard heard Jimmy's Famous Seafood — the self-proclaimed home of “the world's greatest crabcakes!" — stuck snakehead bites on the menu in honor (honor?) of the former Maryland coach with all proceeds donated to Maryland's name, likeness and image efforts. Or that all-time Terrapins great Len Elmore said he was weary of ”mercenary coaches" who played the school like fiddles.
Yeah, it's a long list of unhappy Terrapins.
And the damage done was ... nothing.
Willard landed at a Villanova program — that while foundered for three seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance under former coach Kyle Neptune — still has elite status within reach with deep NIL coffers and a whopping payout ahead courtesy of the proposed upcoming House settlement. Maryland forged ahead by plucking Buzz Williams away from Texas A&M. He has also coached at Virginia Tech, Marquette and New Orleans. One could argue another mercenary coach in it for the payday.
Williams bounced on to a new gig. Just like Willard. Just like so many successful coaches in March — consider, there are two of four coaches already who won a game in the tournament — and have moved on to a new, presumably better job with deeper pockets.
Willard understands why he caught some heat.
He publicly campaigned — pleaded, really — during Maryland’s run to the Sweet 16 for more from the university and athletic department for his Big Ten program.
More of everything — “fundamental changes,” he called them — that really came down to more money, so much more, being funneled into basketball.
And for those at Maryland with hurt feelings, “I just think it’s time everyone moves on.”
In fairness, it's been two or three days.
Willard said all the right things about fitting in on his first few days on the job. He watched the women’s team play in a postseason tournament and met with the men’s team while they played in Las Vegas in the College Basketball Crown. Willard schmoozed with donors, worked the transfer portal and — like any new employee at a company — filled out HR paperwork.
He even tipped his cap to the “special culture” created within the program by Wright, threw his support behind the Big 5, and was professionally polite by saying he wanted to build on what “Kyle and his staff” has done over the last three years.
Yet, he acknowledged, it was time after three seasons without the tournament at Villanova to “get everyone excited again, get everyone engaged again.”
