Closing the chapter on Kevin Willard's odd and chaotic departure from Maryland

Heading into the tournament, former Maryland head coach Kevin Willard set the stage for what would become a chaotic end to his tenure in College Park.

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It didn't have to be this way. Although there would have been disappointment in any scenario that included Kevin Willard taking another head coaching job, he didn't have to turn himself into a villain and serve as a massive distraction during the Terrapins' NCAA tournament run. Nevertheless, that's the path he chose.

Heading into the tournament, speculation surrounding Willard's future in College Park was growing. Rumors of Willard's interest in the Villanova head coaching vacancy were circulating social media, and fans were growing frustrated with the lack of any definitive statement from Maryland's side. The speculation reached a point where Willard had no choice but to face questions from the media ahead of the Terps' first round matchup against Grand Canyon.

That's when things took a weird turn.

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Instead of taking the traditional route of using "coach speak" to give a non-answer, Willard was incredibly - almost stunningly - transparent with his thoughts on the head coaching job at Maryland. During a pregame press conference, Willard announced the departure of AD Damon Payne before the school had even announced it. He then went on to discuss the need for fundamental changes in College Park, along with claiming that Maryland had one of the worst NIL programs in the country.

Although it was surprising to hear a head coach be so transparent in that setting, many within the fanbase appreciated Willard's willingness to be candid. Of course, that appreciation was based on the belief that Willard truly wanted to remain at Maryland, and that his brutal honesty was a sincere effort to change the program for the better.

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In the days that followed, Willard's comments completely dominated the storyline surrounding Maryland's tournament run, a run that would eventually end in the Sweet Sixteen with a loss to 1-seed Florida. Following that loss, Willard's demeanor with the media had completely changed. Instead of transparency, Willard reverted back to coach speak and provided non answers to legitimate questions. His reluctance to shut down the rumors regarding his future, specifically as it related to Villanova, essentially provided the answer. He was as good as gone.

There are some who believe that Willard had made his decision to take the Villanova job before the Terrapins had even played their first game in the NCAA tournament. Willard maintains that he didn't make that decision until after the Terps were out of the tournament. Regardless of which timeline you believe, the reality is that his departure ultimately makes his conduct during the tournament look really, really bad. Offering harsh criticism of a program you're trying to improve is one thing, but being critical of a program in the midst of a tournament run before taking another job is a bad look.

Willard didn't have to be the villain in this story, he chose it. And for better or worse, that's likely how he'll forever be remembered in College Park.

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