© Stephen Brashear/Imagn
The Maryland Terrapins are in the Sweet 16 in the men’s NCAA Tournament for the first time since since 2016 and only the second time since 2003, thanks in no small part to third-year head coach Kevin Willard. Willard came over from Seton Hall in 2022 and helped revive a program that had fallen on hard times under Mark Turgeon.
But rather than praise Willard as a potential conquering hero, Terrapins fans are absolutely furious at the head coach. And Willard may well only have himself to blame. See, Willard’s success has placed him squarely on the radar of several other programs. Namely, the Villanova Wildcats, who recently fired head coach Kyle Neptune.
Villanova reportedly made Willard once of its top targets to replace Neptune. But Willard appeared to prefer to remain at Maryland. He showed as much when he called out the athletic department and specifically outgoing AD Damon Evans.
“I want this program to be great,” Willard said. “I want it to be the best in the country, I want to win a national championship, but there’s things that need to change. … I need to make sure that where we are with (name, image and likeness) and revenue share is not where we’ve been with NIL over the past two years. We’ve been one of the worst, if not lowest, in the NIL in the last two years. So that’s first and foremost.”
Willard’s impassioned plea got fans behind him. They turned on Evans and said that the coach was doing what was necessary to get the Terps to the mountaintop.
Locksley’s not impartial.
Damon Evans gave Lox way too much $$ relative to what Mike has won/lost. UMCP football has copious $$ . Kevin Willard and Terps B1G basketball are last in $$.
Damon Evans has an SMU bag now. What family?
I love that Kevin Willard spilled the tea. https://t.co/zmKtskVrtZ
— Kenneth Holmes (@CCJKen1) March 26, 2025
But one week later, it appears the tables have turned. Willard did not address the Villanova opening in his latest press conference ahead of Sweet 16 game against Florida. Nor did he solidified his status with Maryland. And now Terrapin fans are turning on the coach they loved just seven days ago.
Kevin Willard skipped the team dinner the night before we play in the sweet sixteen?
Not only did he make this whole week about him, he’s too focused on another job to even be bothered to show up to a team dinner?
He may be the most selfish coach in the country.
— JDM (@Joshua__DM) March 27, 2025
Neither Willard, not Villanova have made an announcement of any sort. So it’s entirely possible he remains at Maryland. But if he does, there’ll be some serious relationship repairing work do be done.