In a moment of déjà vu, Maryland Terrapins head coach Kevin Willard’s postgame comments after the Terrapins’ Sweet 16 loss to Florida have gone viral—drawing comparisons to the statements he made in 2022 before leaving Seton Hall for Maryland.
Following an 87-71 defeat, Willard gave a noncommittal answer about the vacant Villanova job, echoing remarks he made three years earlier.
Kevin Willard’s Postgame Comments Mirror 2022 Exit as Villanova Rumors Swirl
As speculation grew about his potential interest in the Wildcats’ coaching position, Willard was relatively noncommittal, but not in the right way.
“I haven’t talked to anybody right now,” Willard said. “My biggest concerns in life right now, you know, I don’t know who my boss is going to be.”
The parallels to his 2022 comments are striking. Fans and media were quick to point out the similarities, with some suggesting history may be repeating itself.
Back in 2022, when asked about rumors linking him to Maryland, Willard deflected:
“I have an agent who I haven’t talked to yet. I don’t know who he’s talking to.”
This week, when pressed on the Villanova job, his response sounded nearly identical:
“I haven’t talked to my agent. I haven’t talked to my wife.”
See for yourself, here’s the 2022 video:
“I haven’t talked to my agent”
Literally what he said after we lost to TCU and had already made plans with Maryland.
Not here to hate on Willard, but the similarities are uncanny. https://t.co/TB9YFaeT9m pic.twitter.com/BoZGme7f4w
— Seton Hall Mack (@SetonHallMack) March 28, 2025
And here’s the video following Maryland’s Sweet 16 exit:
And here’s tonight… pic.twitter.com/ACnJ6AQKvU
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) March 28, 2025
For Maryland fans, the resemblance is concerning. Just days after those 2022 comments, Willard left Seton Hall. Now, three years into what was expected to be a long-term rebuild in College Park, the Terrapins appear to be on the verge of another coaching search—despite a 27-win season that seemed to signal real momentum.
Maryland’s Uncertain Future
The timing is complicated further by the departure of athletic director Damon Evans, who left earlier this month to take over at SMU. That leadership change has left a void, one Willard referenced directly in his postgame remarks.
“I don’t know who my boss is going to be. It’s the guy that brought me here—is not here anymore.”
Maryland’s season ended with freshman standout Derik Queen scoring 27 points, but the team was outmatched on the boards. Florida outrebounded the Terrapins 42-20, a gap that underscored Maryland’s lack of physicality in a tournament defined by gritty play in the paint.
The familiar cadence of Willard’s statements—paired with institutional instability and Villanova’s reported interest—has left Maryland fans anxious. The program was believed to be on the rise, but now faces uncertainty about its head coach’s future.
As On3’s Andy Staples summed it up, ‘This is wild, it’s almost the same script.’
KEEP READING: ‘I Haven’t Talked to My Wife’ – Kevin Willard’s Postgame Quote Sets Social Media Ablaze
With Willard’s next move unclear and the Terrapins community left to speculate, Maryland’s promising season has given way to a familiar sense of unease.
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