What I'm hearing on Kevin Willard and Villanova, the Buzz Williams buzz and an AD sleeper candidate
Is Kevin Willard heading to Villanova? What about the growing talk on a big name to replace him? Who is a sleeper for the AD job? And a look at one moment in this saga that, in retrospect, might have been an accidental giveaway.
This Maryland basketball season was a familiar pattern for those who've followed the program. A high point and a parade of celebration and new hope ... Which, of course, abruptly crashes and burns. The infamous Maryland tease. But you knew all of that.
Is Kevin Willard heading to Villanova? What about the growing talk on a big name to replace him? Who is a sleeper for the AD job? And a look at one moment in this saga that, in retrospect, might have been an accidental giveaway.
The consensus still overwhelmingly says Willard will announce he's taking the Villanova job on Tuesday. Why Tuesday? Because his buyout decreases by $500,000. But there's a chance it'll leak officially before then.
I believe Willard has been ticketed for Villanova since at least early this week. On Tuesday, coaches, agents and others in the industry were talking about it like a done deal. And barring a strange twist, they were right. A source said Willard was on campus at Nova today.
It's also obvious that Buzz Williams is pushing hard for the job. The Texas A&M coach is ready to move on and has staged a full-on campaign for the Maryland job. That doesn't mean he'll get it, of course, but he's the only name loudly floated. Tony Skinn and Duane Simpkins don't appear to be on the list.
We'll get more on that soon. I expect that it'll speed up once Willard is officially gone. Williams is polarizing, but his track record is far better than Willard's or Mark Turgeon's, with three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. He's consistently made the tournament everywhere he's been. But locals aren't thrilled about the possible hire, questioning his lack of ties to the area.
It's hard to tell who's running the search internally. Maryland, of course, is without an AD after Damon Evans' hasty exit for SMU. It is interesting that the search firm Maryland hired is the same one that placed Williams at Texas A&M.
For the past 48 hours or so, someone has been floating talk that Willard is seriously considering Maryland's offer. The timing and phrasing of the texts I've received make it obvious this is PR campaign. By whom and why, we'll see. My gut feeling is Willard, and his circle would like to avoid the appearance that he was negotiating with another school while his team was entering its biggest stretch of games in years. But I'm sure Maryland would also like to make it clear it did everything Willard requested; remember, he claimed he just wanted some small concessions to boost the program. At some points, it's almost seemed like he might be collaborating with someone Maryland to manage how his exit looks, but that might be over analysis.
Willard has also told people he's been working the portal, but the lack of transfers mentioning Maryland is suspect. He didn't say which school he's recruiting for, though.
Maryland also needs an AD. A name consistently mentioned: Charlotte FC soccer franchise president Joe LaBue, a Maryland alum who'd love to return. He's widely respected and in this time of college sports essentially going pro, a professional sports executive could be a fitting hire. I'm told he's spoken with president Darryll Pines.
