Kevin Willard to meet with Villanova as Maryland coach nears decision, Porter Moser emerges as candidate
A decision in the Villanova coaching search is imminent.
Maryland basketball coach Kevin Willard, the top candidate for the same job at Villanova, is expected to make a decision on whether to stay with the Terrapins or leave for the Big East by Saturday night, per CBS Sports' Matt Norlander. The imminent decision will bring an end to a high-profile saga that largely overshadowed Maryland's run to the Sweet 16 and offer clarity in one of college basketball's top head coaching searches on the 2025 carousel. Should Willard elect to remain with the Terrapins, ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that Oklahoma coach Porter Moser will be at the top of Villanova's candidate list.
As of Saturday afternoon, Willard had not yet informed Maryland on whether he will return to the program or take the Villanova job. Villanova administration, Norlander reports, expects him to accept an offer and will meet with him later in the day to discuss the position. Willard's buyout at Maryland drops by $500,000 on Tuesday, but Norlander says neither the timing nor price tag are hurdles to completing a deal with Villanova.
Willard's transparency on the situation put him in the limelight during the NCAA Tournament. He was outspoken about his frustrations with Maryland administration amid contract negotiations and cited the Terrapins' lack of investment into the basketball program and athletic director Damon Evans' uncertain job status as points of contention. Evans this week accepted the AD position at SMU.
Willard previously voiced his willingness to spend a fourth year at Maryland if the university provided more funding and a boost in NIL resources. He did not commit publicly to a return when pressed on the subject, though. Willard said after the Terrapins' Sweet 16 loss that, at the time, he had "no idea" whether he would stay or leave.
Moser's emergence as a potential backup candidate at Villanova and a possible replacement for Willard at Maryland adds another layer of intrigue to the coaching search.
"If Kevin Willard decides to stay at Maryland — and again, he mentioned that he does not have an athletic director that he knows — the next candidate up is believed to be Porter Moser of Oklahoma," Thamel said on ESPN's "College GameDay," Saturday morning. "It's an interesting name, because he would likely be on Maryland's list if they have a job search. Maryland has not stayed flat-footed. They have started to prepare for Kevin Willard's departure."
With Oklahoma's first-round departure from the NCAA Tournament, Moser completed his fourth year atop the Sooners program. This was his first trip to the Big Dance since he left Loyola Chicago, which he led to the 2018 Final Four in one of the greatest Cinderella stories in tournament history.
