As Kevin Willard ponders his future as the Maryland men's basketball head coach, Texas A&M's Buzz Williams is reportedly eyeing his throne in College Park.
Williams is "trying to get involved" with the Terrapins if/when Willard accepts the Villanova job (h/t Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68). The latter's connection to the Wildcats has been the worst-kept secret in the country. And now, the former is set to throw his hat in the ring to be the next face of Maryland's program should the opportunity present itself.
Despite having arguably better credentials than Willard, Williams may not ignite a Maryland fan base that just experienced its best season in nearly a decade. Subsequently, Terps supporters are hoping that the team builds off this momentum and goes big-game hunting for a new leader. Nevertheless, the latest intel suggests it may be best to tamper expectations moving forward.
Buzz Williams wouldn't quell Maryland fans' concerns about Kevin Willard leaving for Villanova
Even during the Terps' 2025 NCAA tournament run, which ended with a Sweet 16 loss against Florida, Willard's dalliance with Villanova was apparent. Because of this, the Maryland faithful was ready to show him the door. His blatant lack of loyalty ahead of the squad's 87-71 defeat at the hands of the Gators rubbed many the wrong way, and reasonably so. But after getting a glimpse of what's behind door No. 2, a "forgive and forget" mindset could be in store.
Objectively, Williams has enjoyed success at every stop along his coaching journey (except his one-off stint on the sidelines at New Orleans in 2006-07). He reached the Sweet 16 thrice in six years at Marquette, including an Elite Eight appearance, before overseeing quick turnarounds with Virginia Tech and A&M. Yet, zero trips to the Final Four across 18 seasons at the helm draws a definitive ceiling in the upside of replacing Willard with him.
Moreover, Williams seems oddly eager to leave his current situation in College Station. One user on X (formerly known as Twitter) screenshotted Goodman's since-edited post saying he "[pushed] for" the Xaiver vacancy before Richard Pitino was hired. Whatever the reason(s), his willingness to abandon ship shouldn't instill confidence as a long-term solution should Willard choose Villanova over Maryland.