It has been a very solid season at Maryland for head coach Kevin Willard and the Terps, who won 27 games and advanced to the Sweet 16. However, he may be heading towards a better job at Villanova.
Kevin Willard Receives Sympathy From Gary Parrish
While Willard has gotten some heat over how he has handled possibly deciding between going to Villanova to be that school’s next head coach and staying at Maryland, CBS analyst Gary Parrish recently had this to say about Willard:
“He has a great job and is being offered a great job…Fans are booing him walking out of a hotel…This has not been fun for (Kevin Willard).”
“This has not been a fun experience for [Kevin Willard]”@GaryParrishCBS says it has to be difficult for Kevin Willard to navigate this situation. pic.twitter.com/vCIJsB0AVy
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 28, 2025
While it may appear to be easy for fans on the outside looking in, Willard is not in an easy situation. Yes, Maryland is one of the top 25 or 30 college basketball teams in the country, and Willard has seemingly found a home there.
However, Villanova, thanks to former head coach Jay Wright, is one of the more historic college basketball and Big East programs out there.
It is not a job offer that comes along every day. While Willard might have some great options, making a decision isn’t easy.
Willard Helped Turn Maryland Around
Part of the reason why fans are upset with Willard is because they don’t want him to leave. In three seasons, the former Seton Hall head coach has made the Terps real contenders in both the Big Ten and in the nation.
He took the Terps to the Round of 32 in his first season back in 2022-2023, and after a rebuilding season, he brought them all the way to the Sweet 16 this year before losing to Florida.
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Perhaps the Villanova Wildcats saw that after they fired former head coach Kyle Neptune and decided to try and hire Willard.
Time will tell if they can get him to accept the job or not.
Again, jobs like this one do not come around very often, which is why Willard is having trouble making any kind of decision.
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