Last night, the Maryland Terrapin basketball team, with a top-10 draft pick and multiple all-conference players played what could have been the most important Terrapin event in 15 years. But instead of fans, players, and coaches focusing on beating Florida, they were caught up in the whirlwind of the college basketball coaching carousel.
Head Coach Kevin Willard, who has done amazing things in his short time at College Park, quickly emerged as the top candidate for the Villanova job in recent weeks. The catch? His team was still battling for their first Elite 8 and Final Four appearance since 2002.
Already, players have to deal with the transfer portal opening up mid-tournament (which also needs to be heavily discussed), but now they’re left wondering whether they’ll even have a coach by the time the Final Four arrives.
Rumors really began to ramp up the night before the game, with reports that he told his team of his intentions...though that has since been walked back. Either way... come on, man. This needs to be fixed.
If you’re a Maryland fan and finally have a squad that can take you back to the Gary Williams glory days, you’ve got to be livid! Once-in-a-decade talent in Derik Queen being squandered because a coach wants more money?
Now, of course, we can argue Villanova is a more prestigious job. But also...you win at a school, and it can become that very quickly.
Through all of this, we get to gameday, and the typical fanfare begins. We all love those send-off videos, right? The team walking out as the fans cheer them on, chanting positivity and belief.
Let’s take a look at Maryland’s.I’m sure a fanbase starving for a championship was there to pump up their team!
Huh? Well, that sounds a little… ummm… mixed, to say the least.
Let’s finally address the game. With all things considered, Maryland as a team looked to be fighting through all the drama and uncertainty for about 25 minutes of game time. Then Florida pulled away, and it became a depressing slow burn for Maryland fans as they coped with the realization that their coach, roster, and championship hopes were slipping away right before their eyes.
After the game, this may have been one of the very few times in history where more people were interested in the losing coach’s press conference than the winner’s.
At this point, fans across all of college basketball had become invested. Let’s be honest...the madness in this tournament has been about 90% Maryland-generated. They're responsible for the only buzzer-beater of the tournament too.
So here we were, Kevin Willard’s time had come. What would he say? How would he address all the rumors? Surely, he had a well-thought-out response prepared, right?
He had to know this moment was very possible. The season was over, and everyone was ready for the statement of clarity we’d all been waiting for.
"I don't know what I'm doing." – Kevin Willard
OH… okay. What a quote.
After an unsettling 72 hours for college basketball in the Metro-Atlantic area, he gives everyone an “IDK” in the chat.
WHAT?!
This dude is either the worst liar on the planet, a la Nick Miller:
OR… he truly is the most indecisive coach in America.
At this point, I can picture both the Maryland and Villanova ADs sitting back thinking,"Do we really want this guy? He can't even make a decision."
In reality, we can probably all assume he’s going to Nova, he just panic-answered after a game where he likely felt he let a lot of people down.
But dude… Willard, come on.
If you're leaving, then just leave.If you're staying, then say it.
This flip-flopping is only going to make the hate grow in the fanbase you choose to abandon.
Bet Recap: Torkelson walking 4 times with a HR is insane levels of bad luck!
Bet of the Day
03-28
Michigan ML + 340
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