Not everyone was happy with Willard's decision to leave Maryland for Villanova, as his move reignited some controversy around coaches changing schools.

Maryland coach Kevin Willard declined to say whether he had spoken to Villanova administrators about its open coaching vacancy following a season-ending 87-71 loss to No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

The questions about Willard’s future has hijacked the leadup to the Terrapins’ Sweet 16 matchup with Florida on Thursday night. Willard has publicly griped about Maryland’s lack of NIL spending and prematurely revealed the news that Maryland’s AD, Damon Evans, was leaving the university for the same job at SMU.

Maryland men’s basketball fans were high on Buzz Williams before he was officially hired as the Terps’ new coach.

But yes, Willard confessed, he was generally aware of the consensus sentiment that he used Maryland as just a pawn to get whatever it was he wanted at a traditional power such as Villanova. So perhaps Willard knew Maryland alumnus and ESPN star Scott Van Pelt went scorched earth on him and said,

After four seasons leading the Maryland Terrapins, Kevin Willard is on to a fresh start as head coach of the Villanova Wildcats. The transition was, uhhh, not the smoothest, shall we say, as Willard’s new gig began to materialize in the middle of the Terps' run through March Madness.