COLLEGE PARK, Md. (7News) — It’s been an emotional week for Maryland men’s basketball as their former head coach, Kevin Willard, was announced as the new head coach for Villanova University on Sunday afternoon. This announcement left a bitter taste in the mouths of Terrapins alumni, fans, and athletes, especially considering rumors of Willard’s departure had been floating throughout the NCAA tournament prior to the team’s Sweet Sixteen exit.
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Early this afternoon, Maryland Athletics announced that Buzz Williams was named the new head coach for Maryland men’s basketball. Williams comes after spending the past six seasons at the realm for the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies made the big dance the past three years under Williams but were unsuccessful in making it further than the second round in any of their appearances.
It’s a mixed social media frenzy at the moment, with many happy for Buzz Williams and the promise he holds for Maryland basketball. However, many are also concerned because Williams has a habit of not staying at a school for longer than six years. However, it seemed that Williams’ time with the Aggies was coming to a close when sources reported that he had not been in communication with the school since the Aggies left the tournament.
Additionally, many fans are not as pleased with the hire by the Maryland Athletics Department when many alumni of the program and fans have been asking Maryland to hire a former Terp and keep it within the family during this new chapter for the program.
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One of these alumni is former NBA player Steve Blake, who had thrown his hat in the ring to be the next head coach of Maryland basketball. This morning, he was a guest on the Glenn Clark Radio Show and discussed his thoughts on the hiring situation.
“I’ll support any coach 110%. I’m gonna be here for the program. Anyone that knows me knows I’m solely focused on one thing. That’s becoming the head coach of the Maryland basketball team. My sole focus is taking Maryland back to greatness,” said Blake.
Blake has yet to comment after the news about Williams was announced earlier today.
Another former Terp who helped lay the groundwork for the Maryland program is Len Elmore. On Monday, Elmore tweeted a photograph of a letter he sent to the athletics department, urging them to stop listening to the media and hiring big names and instead hire from within the Terrapin family.
“On behalf of those who gave their blood, sweat, and bodies to Maryland, we ask that the University leaders ignore the shallow media exhortations and the impatient fan cries and build from within the Terp family. Since Gary’s retirement, we’ve tried the ‘big swing” and whiffed,” said Elmore in his letter.
While Maryland fans and alumni are disappointed on social media, their frustration appears to stem more from the fact that, yet again, the voices of the fans and the Terps family were not heard or considered during the hiring process.
Across the media, many fans are optimistic that if they are given the right additional staff, can bring in solid recruits, and keep some of the star talent from the Crab Five, such as Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie, all is not lost. Both Rice and Gillespie entered the transfer portal after Willard’s departure, but if Williams can convince them to stay, it might give more hope to Terps fans.
Despite the not-so-warm welcome from Maryland that Williams may have expected, it doesn’t diminish the fact that he has a solid record and is a highly regarded coach. Many coaches, fans, and players, including one of his Texas A&M Aggies, are nothing but complimentary of Buzz.
“No matter what anybody says, he’s one of the greatest, and y’all can’t change that. Nobody will change that or take that from him,” said senior guard Manny Obaseki during a post-game March Madness interview.
Fans and alumni will have the opportunity to hear from Buzz Williams on Wednesday, April 2, at noon when he takes center court at the Xfinity Center to discuss his new role in College Park, Maryland.
