At this point, a return to Maryland seems impossible for Kevin Willard
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It's amazing what three weeks can do. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the conversation surrounding the Maryland basketball program was centered around the "Crab Five" and head coach Kevin Willard's incredible job of getting things back on track in College Park. That seems like forever ago at this point.
Following Maryland's brutal Sweet Sixteen loss to 1-seed Florida on Thursday, the conversation surrounding the Maryland basketball program is now centered around missed opportunities and a head coach who squandered a shot at one of the most successful seasons in program history. Adding insult to injury, that head coach is believed to be headed to Villanova - a decision that many believe was already made before the Terps even entered tournament play.
Ending the season this way has left an incredibly sour taste in the mouths of Maryland fans everywhere, so much so that the overwhelming response is that they don't want Kevin Willard back. And while fans wait to see if Willard actually takes the Villanova job, many have already decided that a return to College Park just isn't possible.
For evidence, look no further than some of the dialog below:
"Yesterday should have been a true celebration in this city...then I find out this Willard/Villanova stuff has been going on for WEEKS. You WEASEL!"
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) March 28, 2025
It took everything @JPFinlayNBCS had to not curse out about Kevin Willard... pic.twitter.com/kEfxdksOzd
"Did I miss all the banners that were hanging for championships from Kevin Willard." - @clintonyates thinks Maryland deserves better pic.twitter.com/zQmUkLkNEu
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) March 28, 2025
This TBS crew is missing the point on Kevin Willard.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) March 28, 2025
Willard leaving isn’t the issue. There’s zero loyalty in college sports anymore. It’s every man for themselves and team is irrelevant in a way that even supersedes professional leagues because it’s year-to-year.
His joke of…
Kevin Willard stole the spotlight from the players, insulted the intelligence of Maryland student and alumni, and had his team come out feeble and disorganized in the second half.
— Michael Jaffe (@mjaffeterp) March 28, 2025
He made it about him, so the embarrassment is on him, and hopefully Villanova. Bye 👋 pic.twitter.com/qbBtf8FA5q
Kevin Willard found a way to somehow exit the Maryland program with less class and professionalism and pride than his predecessor who literally quit on the team around Thanksgiving three years ago. Quite an accomplishment, honestly
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 28, 2025
Kevin Willard is either going to leave for Villanova and look like a jackass for the way he’s handled all this or stay at Maryland and look like a jackass for the way he’s handled this.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 28, 2025
- Enjoy more Maryland coverage on Maryland Terrapins On SI -
More Maryland News
Kevin Willard addresses Villanova speculation following Maryland's loss to Florida in Sweet Sixteen
Social media reacts to Maryland basketball getting eliminated against Florida in Sweet 16
'He said he was staying': Maryland's Rodney Rice says Kevin Willard has been transparent with team
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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