Kevin Willard concluded a dramatic saga when he departed from Maryland to fill the teaching emptiness at Villanova, and it largely brushed Terrapins followers the incorrect means. Ties to Villanova overshadowed Willard’s run to the Candy 16 with the Terps, and his public feedback went viral as he denounced Maryland management for an absence of basketball funding and different points.
The messy departure was a bitter ending to a profitable season, and Willard acknowledged months later the affect it had on his former program and fanbase.
“I do know it turned out ugly, however I like the place,” Willard mentioned of Maryland, through Hoops HQ. “It is a terrific place. I just like the fan base. I do know they hate me, however I cherished dwelling there. I cherished all the pieces about it.”
Willard turned one of many largest tales of March Insanity amid the uncertainty surrounding his future at Maryland. He was outspoken all through the event about his state of affairs, despatched barbs to Maryland brass and did little to quell the consternation surrounding his potential exit for Villanova. He additionally unleashed a postgame rant directed towards the protection of his place because the sitting Terps coach and candidate for the Wildcats job.
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The departure on the finish of the NCAA Event run despatched Willard again to the Huge East, the place he picked up a lot of his faculty basketball expertise. He performed for Pittsburgh within the mid-Nineteen Nineties when it was a member of the convention, and his longest teaching tenure got here at Seton Corridor from 2010-2022, when he guided the Pirates to 5 NCAA Event appearances and one convention title.
“It was a very bizarre feeling as a result of there was no thought course of on me leaving,” Willard mentioned. “However when the man that employed you leaves and now swiftly you don’t have any thought who’s coming in, and oh by the best way there is a actually, actually nice program that wishes you, that is when you need to begin eager about issues.”
In keeping with 247Sports, Willard bemoaned Maryland’s NIL funding and former athletic director Damon Evans’ obvious plans to allot $14 million of its $20.5 million revenue-sharing finances on soccer, in comparison with $4 million for basketball. The Terps coach additionally particularly recalled Maryland administration pushing again, over monetary considerations, on his request to spend a further night time in New York with the workforce final season to have fun Christmas.
Willard left Maryland with a 65-39 document and two Huge Dance appearances. His final season with this system was his greatest, as he constructed a proficient roster dubbed the “Crab 5” and earned a second-place end within the Huge Ten and a visit to the regional semifinals.