If you own a smartphone, or have spoken to anyone on campus in the last week, it is no secret to you that Kevin Willard, former Maryland Terrapins basketball coach, will be taking Kyle Neptune’s spot for the upcoming seasons. Despite this being overall great news for Villanova fans, Willard’s transition has not come without drama. After Maryland’s loss to the Florida Gators on Saturday night, ending its run in this year’s March Madness tournament in the Sweet Sixteen, Willard was cited as being rather defensive and sarcastic at the following press conference.
“I don’t know what I’m doing.” Willard said as he was grilled by the press “I’ll be honest with you. I haven’t talked to my agent. I haven’t talked to my wife.”
When asked if he had received an offer from Villanova, he simply responded with “I have no idea.”
I must admit, I found this incredibly entertaining as it was happening, as did my friends. However, after taking a step back, I’ve realized that this media frenzy may need to be treated with caution.
Although, Willard’s entry into Villanova basketball is a step in the right direction, there are a few factors that we should all consider. First, the media disaster surrounding him could be an indicator of how team and fan base interactions could go in the future. Villanova is looking for someone who is able to have a larger presence on campus than Neptune did, more similar to Jay Wright. However, it is important to consider the reasons that Willard left Maryland, which primarily have to do with funding. It seems, according to CBS Sports, that a primary influence on Willard’s job switch was the way that the respective basketball programs are funded at Maryland and Villanova. Ultimately, this is a valid reason to show disdain towards a program. Willard, being a former Big East coach, may be better suited, socially, for this position.
The other issue that has arisen is the idea of Big East rivalry in the upcoming season. Now that there will be two Pitino family members coaching in the Big East, Rick and Rick Jr., for St. John’s and Xavier, as well as Willard’s return to the conference after his departure from Seton hall, the question of heightened tension has been on the minds of many fans.
“I think it’s all about his roots in the Big East,” freshman Nick Calandrino said when asked why he thought Willard’s departure was so surprising. “He played in the Big East for Pittsburgh [when it was still a part of the conference], he coached for Seton Hall. And those teams are the ones that gave Villanova the most trouble in 2016 to 2018. In 2020, when he was still coaching for Seton Hall, that team could’ve been a two-seed. I just think that every point in his career has pointed to him coaching in the Big East.”
Looking at Willard’s career thus far, it does make sense that he is returning to the Big East. He played and coached in this conference when it was known for greatness, and in the past few years, it simply hasn’t been as top-tier as it used to be. For Willard, it’s possible that this is a mission to return the Big East to its former glory.
It is also important to consider the funding aspect of Willard’s transition.
“Maryland is not a basketball-first school like Villanova, so their funding isn’t focused primarily on the basketball team,” Calandrino said.
Considering the skills that Willard has, it wouldn’t have made sense for him to stay at Maryland, which he has openly criticized in the past for not allocating enough funding to the basketball program.
All things considered, Kevin Willard’s frustration seems well-founded. Although his departure from Maryland was anything but smooth, it is no surprise that he’ll be returning to his home conference this year. While yes, this still is an outside hire, Willard may have a larger presence on campus and overall positive effect on the program due to his long-standing ties with the conference. Media frenzy or not, it is safe to say that Willard is coming back to the Big East with a vengeance.
