What time and where can i find it. Not going to try and search for Willards news conference at Villanova . Thanks

I’ve had some people reach out asking about this or telling me what they’re hearing and it seems to be all over the place. Have heard everything from ‘Willard bringing his entire staff,’ to ‘all the assistants will be retained by Buzz.’

FWIW, I’ve been hearing from sources in the coaching community that Willard is trying to bring Billmeier with him as that’s his guy who also happens to be Mike Nardi’s best friend. As for the third spot, it sounds like Cox could very well be the guy. I’d also suspect fellow Annapolis grad Charlie Butler, will be following as DOBO.

As for Buzz, I’d think all three assistants are coming in some capacity. They have all been with him at multiple stops. I could see his current No. 3 going back to DOBO so that Buzz could bring in or keep a top DMV recruiter. But don’t know for sure yet if he will or who it would be.

First official of many.
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Buzz Williams is Maryland's next men's head basketball coach. Six year deal.

Don't want to further muck up a game thread with an off-topic discussion.

CurlyBill said:

Yep. Long road back to relevance. Another head-scratcher for me was the Carbery hire. It seems he was the "shiny object" that offseason in the NHL and the Caps hired him without even talking to Todd Nelson, who was in the midst of a Calder run nobody predicted.

Todd appears to be doing it again this season. I'm not saying Carbery is a bad coach... I'm just saying his resume didn't warrant all the NHL attention he was getting during the offseason.

Now we have BMac. He said his goals during the offseason was to get younger and add to the top 6.

He did neither... and in fact we got a bit older, though things have changed with Backstrom now gone... which is another story altogether. Pacioretty was a cheap gamble, and he's not top 6 material. Oh, and when June rolls around, we won't have a second round pick because we gave it to Ottawa for Connor Brown... who played a whopping 4 games for the Caps.

Sorry... I could go on all night.

Click to expand...

They were fixated on Carbery (just like they were fixated on Todd Reirden) long before Nelson and the Bears came out of nowhere to win the Calder Cup last June. I schlepped up to Hershey for Game 5 of that series and it was painfully obvious who the better team was but Coachella Valley has Dan Bylsma behind their bench. Now that the Bears are lapping the AHL field, curious to see if he can repeat the magic of last season.

A lot of the problem in terms of getting younger and adding to the Top 6 are the contracts in the Top 6. Backstrom, Kuznetsov, and Oshie all have modified no-trade clauses which makes moving them out and getting younger really, really difficult. All three were given them for sentimental reasons even though they are now well past their prime which is why it is going to be a very long rebuild once it gets fully underway. FWIW, we have three 2nd rounders in next year's draft but Boston and Colorado's are very likely to be in the back-end of that round. GMBM, like GMGM, is only doing the best he can with what he's told to accomplish.

At least we got one Cup out of this run which is a whole lot more than we can say about the 80's Caps.

And speaking of the 80's, this would be a team that would make the playoffs and might pull off an upset or two in that era. Now, they're likely on the outside looking in and with the owners looking to make yet another expansion cash grab; it will be harder to make the playoffs and what rebuilding is done will take a step back in the process.

Michigan picked up the PG from UNC and now Johnson from Illinois. May got it rolling.

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Like a name?

IF Willard were to end up leaving, keep an eye on Tony Skinn. He played a major role in the success of Willard’s first year and was just named A10 Coach of the Year. Has been an Under Armour guy, has ties to the top local AAU and high school teams and knows his way around the Big Ten from his time at Ohio State and here.

I’m not saying I know anything, but this is also more than just a hunch.

Starting off on the right foot:

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Playing two tomorrow to get ahead of the weather on Sunday.

vs. Ball State at 11 am

vs. Mercyhurst at 7 pm.

Is there anywhere that has any kind of thorough summary of what happened at Marquette? If he was really involved in covering up a sexual assault, I have no interest in supporting him or the program as long as he's here, but if the only involvement was that he was the school spokesperson because the AD was a coward, that's a different story.

#1 outgoing

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Could Malik Washington win QB job? Which newcomers are shining? Scoop from Maryland football's spring practice​

Lost in all of the drama surrounding the Maryland basketball situation, Mike Locksley and his team have been on the field for spring ball, getting prepared for a pivotal season.​

Lost in all of the drama surrounding the Maryland basketball situation, Mike Locksley and his team have been on the field for spring ball, getting prepared for a pivotal season. What's the latest on the QB situation? Which players are shining? Here's the scoop.

Malik Washington has lived up to his billing. Even Locksley thought he might need a year of polish and experience to win the job, and that still might be the case, but it's far from a sure thing.

"Malik Washington is the truth. That kid is going to be so good, people have no idea," a source said.

Washington and UCLA transfer Justyn Martin appear to be locked in an even battle that will continue into the fall.

"The ball just looks different coming out of his hand," he said of Washington.

Elsewhere, the offensive line remains a question mark. The staff loves its recent additions, but they're young.

"Better than last year, but nothing to brag about. Terez [Davis] and [Anthony] Robstock at guard and center respectively, and both are solid. [Alan] Herron has gotten better."

Heralded recruit Jaylen Gilchrist looks like a future NFL lineman. He could play a significant role immediately.

"If Gilchrist can get a little bigger, he's going to be special. Herron is doing well and [Rahtrell] Perry is doing OK."

Who among the new defensive backs has stood out?

"Dontay Joyner is a very good corner," he said.

Maryland's top three receivers are clear-cut: Oklahoma transfer Jalil Farooq, returner Octavian Smith and Tennessee transfer Kaleb Webb. Webb is a physical freak but was lost in the shuffle at Tennessee after a promising freshman year. Maryland will add another receiver in the portal.

At tight end, there's strong belief that they've upgraded with Georgia State transfer Dorian Fleming. They view him as similar to Irv Smith, the star tight end Locksley coached at Bama. But depth is a concern after Dylan Wade and Preston Howard transferred. Leon Haughton, who arrived as a big-bodied receiver, will get plenty of opportunities.

I'll have more football coverage soon, including some recruiting scoop.

Maryland Basketball Scoop: How the Buzz Williams hire went down, what's next and could a Terps hero return?​

How did Maryland land on Williams? Could he reel in any of the Terps who entered the portal? That and lots more scoop from behind the scenes.​

Maryland basketball's short-lived coaching search ended on Tuesday, when the school announced Buzz Williams as its next coach. Williams wasn't the first choice of most fans, some of whom wanted a coach with Maryland ties and some of whom wanted a younger prospect with upside.

But for the second time in their past three vacancies, they opted for Texas A&M's coach. Williams has more impressive resume than the last one, Mark Turgeon, having made three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight during his career, but questions about the fit will linger until recruiting starts, and next season arrives.

How did Maryland land on Williams? Could he reel in any of the Terps who entered the portal? That and lots more scoop from behind the scenes.

I'm going to fire these off as quick questions and answers. There are a lot of stories to write, so it'll be quick.

Why did they hire Williams?

There were a few layers to the search—primarily a group of high-ranking program supporters volunteering in the absence of a full-time AD, and the administration's trio of President Darryll Pines, Communications Director Brian Ullmann, and Interim AD Colleen Sorem. The boosters liked other candidates more and expressed as much, believing their opinions were being weighed. For that reason, it seemed like Williams was fading from consideration.

In retrospect, though, it's clear Williams was their guy from the jump. That's why those rumors of Williams to Maryland started right after Willard left. He interviewed first, followed by Tony Skinn and David Cox. The administrators liked Tony Skinn and Luke Murray, but felt they were too inexperienced to make that jump—especially Murray, because he's never been a head coach. I'm told Kevin Plank also pushed hard for Williams, as he did for Kevin Willard last time.

My colleagues at Texas A&M site, maintained throughout that Williams might get the job. They nailed it.

What about the staff and the portal?

It's too soon to know who he'll target in the portal or who will comprise his staff, but we'll be reporting on those things, and they'll move quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps Associate Head Coach David Cox around, though there's a chance Cox could join Willard at Villanova.

I don't think there's any chance he'll be able to reel Ja'Kobi Gillespie back in. He'll likely end up at Tennessee or Villanova, with the latter sounding like a growing possibility. There's a puncher's chance with Rodney Rice. Rice was hoping for a Tony Skinn hire and has a lot of high-level options, like Kentucky, Kansas, and UConn. But he did want to stay home, so if Williams wins him over and hires at least one assistant with whom he's comfortable, there's an outside shot.

What's one hire he can make to excite the fanbase?

Williams will need experienced recruiters and coaches on his staff, but if he wants to spend one spot on someone who'd bring a ton of energy and excite the fans, it's Greivis Vasquez. A source close to Vasquez said he's been speaking with administrators and power brokers—initially expressing interest in the head coaching job and then realizing an assistant job is more realistic. He hasn't talked to Williams yet, but that's likely to happen.

What's next?

Williams has called an 8 a.m. meeting for tomorrow with all players, including those in the portal—which is most of the remaining players. Obviously, he can't make it mandatory, so anyone who's planning to leave regardless can skip the meeting.

What about Chris Jeffrey?

Maryland could have a chance to re-add its lone 2025 commit, Chris Jeffrey. He was being recruited heavily by Williams at Texas A&M.

"I mess with Buzz," he told Colby Giacubeno today.

Lots more to come.

Interesting.

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Scott and others:

Doesn't Buzz only have until this upcoming Monday, April 7, 2025 to line up any and all NIL deals with current and new Terp players?

The biggest farce of the last week-plus is finally over. Willard is off to the Main Line. Time for Maryland to find their next coach.

Figured I’d start a thread with the latest stuff I’m hearing with regards to Willard’s replacement.

- As I’ve mentioned multiple times now, the two names I know were vetted immediately were Tony Skinn and Duane Simpkins. I think I can safely say that Simpkins won’t happen. Simply doesn’t have the resume at the moment. A lot of differing opinions of Skinn. Personally, I think he would be well worth the risk. Willard basically got the job here with the caveat he brought Skinn with him. Terps absolutely over performed in Year 1 and he was the lead in the recruitment of Queen. Skinn also just had one of the best seasons in GMU history in his 2nd year as a head coach and was A10 COY. That isn’t anything to sneeze at. Past A10 COY include Calipari, Sean Miller, Phil Martelli, John Chaney, Chris Mack and Danny Hurley. That’s some serious company. He has also shown he can work the portal, having an entire portal starting five this season, including an Auburn transfer. I think he’s viable, but likely not at the top of the list.

- As for Buzz Williams, he’s apparently been throwing his name out there for every prominent opening this offseason. That usually means one of two things. One, he’s likely looking for an extension and a raise. Two, he’s worn out his welcome at what was basically his dream job. Either way, I just have an extremely hard time believing he’s at the top of any list for Maryland. I think it’s more likely he isn’t really in the mix.

- UConn assistant Luke Murray. For anyone left who might not know, this is the son of famed actor Bill Murray and was basically the architect of UConn’s offensive sets during their back-to-back title run. They ran some of the most innovative sets I’ve ever seen. He’s also an elite recruiter, most recently helping the Huskies land Queen’s former Montverde teammate Liam McNeeley. Now the thing that I wasn’t aware of that I just recently learned here is that his time at Towson on Pat Skerry’s staff apparently overlapped with new interim AD Colleen Sorum’s time at Towson. So there is some familiarity there. Obviously, this would be a high risk, high reward type hire. He obviously has no track record as a head coach, he is also one of the nation’s highest paid assistants and is in a very comfortable spot in a state where he attended college at Fairfield. On the plus side, he’d probably come on the cheaper end of the salary scale and with the right staff and a solid war chest could probably rebuild the roster quickly. But again, you could make the argument he’s a bigger risk than Simpkins, although the potential reward is an elite offense with elite results.

- Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard. Have had a lot of folks tell me Maryland would have no chance with Beard, but I’m not buying it. Have also been told by multiple people in the know he’s close with Patsos from his time at Texas Tech, where he took the Red Raiders to the Final Four. They are an Under Armour school and their starting center was from Odenton, Md. Many believe Beard is currently the best coach in the game and if you watched them last night take Izzo’s squad to the wire, not hard to figure out why. Obviously the whole thing with his now wife would be a possible impediment. And we all know Barry Svlurga would be sent in from the WaPo to try and destroy his program as soon as he got started. But he possibly has the highest ceiling of all, being a proven winner at the JUCO, D2, MM and P4 level. He would also likely bring the most buzz. The one issue is that while I think he would normally be extremely open to a program like Maryland, the lack of an AD could be a deterrent. He has to be careful about any move he makes and I would guess feeling comfortable with his new boss would be extremely important. But from what I can gather, his name is being vetted. Oh, and did I mention he’s a Bob Knight disciple?

Those are the names right now. Thoughts? Preferences?

Honestly, I really like three of those names and think all three have a higher ceiling than Willard. But that’s just my opinion.

Scott, we talk frequently about revenue share and lack of donor support at UMD. Obviously, it is the two together that will determine NIL budget school by school, and resulting competitiveness within their conferences and nationally. Is there a listing you can publish of the top 15 highest NIL paying schools
based on total NIL investment in players on their team this year?

He scuttled it after his first S16 in 18 years of coaching so he wouldn’t have to travel to Asheville anymore. The blue frigging jacket in a red, white, black and gold building always bothered me. He goes down in Terp lore as being the biggest dickhead of them all. Makes Randy seem like a swell guy.

Ok, admittedly I haven't really followed MLB much in recent years. That said, growing up I was a die hard O's fan and Cal Ripken was my idol.

Anyways, this year's O's team has me getting back into baseball again. They look like a legit playoff contender at the All-Star break and they are winning with all of this young talent and still seem to have a loaded farm system. For a guy who doesn't follow baseball that closely anymore, it sure seems like they are set up to be good for a long time.

So I figured I'd start a running general thread on the O's. I guess I'll start by asking the current die hards here their thoughts at the break.

What, if anything, do the O's still need to compete in October?

Thoughts on 1st Rd pick Bradfield Jr.? Seems like an old-school Kenny Lofton-type center field prospect. Any other picks you really like?

Any other general O's thoughts, post 'em here.

Ok, I'll hang up and listen now.

Lists: Tony Skinn ...... George Mason
Duane Simpkins ......American
Kim English .... Providence
Luke Murray ........UConn
David Vanterpool .... Washington Wizards
Andy Enfield .... SMU
Mark Byington .... Vanderbilt
Buzz Williams .... Texas A&M
Mike Brey .... ex-Notre Dame
Bob Huggins
John Thompson III

Like to know what he was smoking when he thought up Huggins and Thompson.

My Personal preference would be Murray, Skinn and Williams.

Sorry, I'm only doing this for one coach because I only know the inner workings of the DMV like the back of my hand. But I want to show you guys how quickly some of this stuff can happen and you can turn things around in the snap of a finger.

Maryland hires Tony Skinn.

Skinn makes Chester Frazier associate head coach (whatever, just finds him a spot on the staff)

Frazier brings Amani Hansberry over from WVU.

Skinn lands former star player Keyshawn Hall, who was the leading scorer in the Big 12 this season at UCF and is currently in the portal.

Skinn lands JMU 6th man of the year Bryce Lindsay, one of the top three-point shooters in the country.

Now if you are able to pay Gillespie and retain him, you are suddenly starting with some front court studs, an elite shooter and one of the best returning guards in the Big Ten.

Give them the money they need to build around those four in the portal and you could potentially be top 4 in the league again NEXT YEAR.

The idea that this is some 2 or 3 year rebuild is laughable. But the longer they drag their feet, the harder it gets to make these kind of moves happen. And again, just used that one example because I know how to navigate the inner workings of the DMV. But could probably make these types of cases for all of the candidates.

Junkies talking this morning as if he had already decided to leave for Tennessee some time ago.....