Gary Williams coached Maryland for 22 years. Mark Turgeon lasted eight seasons. Kevin Willard bolted for Villanova on Sunday, just two days after the Terrapins’ Sweet 16 loss ended his third year in College Park.
Who will be the program’s third big whistle in the past five years?
Maryland’s Big Ten warchest and rich basketball history make it a job with obvious appeal, but the uncertainty in leadership was a driving force behind Willard’s decision to leave for Villanova.
It is not entirely clear who will be conducting Maryland’s search for Willard’s replacement. During the tumultuous postseason, Willard indicated he had been in talks with school president Darryll Pines and athletic department marketing director Brian Ullmann.
Willard had four years — at $4 million per season — remaining on his Maryland contract, and the next coach figures to command at least that salary.
The Terrapins roster may be thin, although that’s become more the norm than an aberration in college basketball off-seasons. Maryland loses two significant seniors in Selton Miguel and Julian Reese.
Star freshman Derik Queen — whose buzzer-beating game-winner against Colorado State lifted the Terrapins into the Elite Eight — will likely opt to enter the NBA Draft.
Priority No. 1 for a new coach figures to be at least attempting to retain guards Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice, who could be candidates for the transfer portal.
So, who could be the next man up in College Park? Let’s look at four possible contenders for the job.
Buzz Williams, Texas A&M
The quirky-but-successful Williams’s name first began circulating two weeks ago, as the Willard drama was escalating. It wasn’t just pie-in-the-sky talk from the Maryland faithful. There is a very real chance Williams might entertain the move.
It could be time for a move from College Station. Williams spent six years at Marquette, then five at Virginia Tech, and he just wrapped up his sixth season leading the Aggies. He took all those programs to the NCAA Tournament and his skill as a coach is undeniable. But Williams is borderline eccentric and seems to understand he has a shelf-life at each of his stops.
Mike Rhoades, Penn State
When he left VCU to coach the Nittany Lions, Rhoades, the son of a former Pennsylvania state senator, said the chance to return to his home state was too special an opportunity to pass up. But after two years of trying to do more with less resource-wise in Happy Valley, and having just a 32-32 record to show for it, Rhoades might be ready to go somewhere where the grass really is greener.
Tony Skinn, George Mason
Skinn has reenergized his alma mater, leading the Patriots to a pair of 20-win seasons, This year, Mason went 27-9 and lost out on the Atlantic 10 championship when it lost the title game to VCU. Skinn has both Maryland ties — he played his high school ball at Takoma Park — and Big Ten ties. Skinn was an Ohio State assistant during the 2021-22 season and an aide to Willard in 2022-23. He also worked for Willard at Seton Hall. It’s hard to say how that connection might be viewed, considering the disconnected way Willard’s departure unfolded.
Mike Jones, Old Dominion
If recruiting chops in the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area are a driving force behind this hire, then the Terrapins can’t do much better than Jones. The former longtime Dematha Catholic coach got into college coaching in 2021, spending two seasons at Virginia Tech. He moved to Maryland last year, then got the ODU gig for this season. He rebuilt the Monarchs, though their 14-19 final record might make this one a tough sell to the already-agitated fan base.
