ESPN Star Calls Out Kevin Willard's 'Messy' Maryland Exit for Villanova Gig

Kevin Willard has officially left the Maryland Terrapins men’s basketball team to take over as head coach for the Villanova Wildcats. His new role comes with the task of reviving a program that has struggled to fill the void left by Jay Wright’s departure a few years back.

Willard’s exit comes on the heels of a thrilling March Madness run for Maryland, highlighted by Derik Queen’s unforgettable buzzer-beater against Colorado State. The Terrapins’ journey ended in the Sweet 16, where they fell to the top-seeded Florida Gators. This marked Maryland’s deepest tournament run under Willard, who joined the team ahead of the 2022-23 season after previously coaching the Seton Hall Pirates.

However, just as swiftly as he made his mark, Willard has moved on. On Sunday, he was announced as Villanova’s new head coach, just as the Wildcats gear up for the College Basketball Crown. Unsurprisingly, his departure has left a bitter taste for many Maryland fans, including ESPN broadcaster and Maryland alum Scott Van Pelt, who didn’t hold back in his critique.

"Of course Kevin Willard can go to Villanova," Van Pelt said in a fiery rant. "Of course, you can go back to your Big East roots. If it’s better for your family, fine. We’re not soulless savages. But maybe you don’t take a giant mess on the front steps of the house you’ve lived in for the last three years."

Van Pelt’s frustration stemmed from Willard’s alleged digs at Maryland’s athletics department, particularly outgoing athletic director Damon Evans, and his complaints about the school’s limited NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) resources during the tournament. The criticism seemed to suggest that Willard's grievances were less about concern for the program and more about setting the stage for his departure.

"You don’t do damage to the university and program where you’ve been for three years," Van Pelt continued. "And you don’t dismiss the efforts of the people behind the scenes who gave everything for free to help you bridge gaps. Maybe don’t repeatedly tell them to their faces how much you care about the university, while everyone in the industry knows you’re already out the door."

Willard’s record at Maryland stands at 65-39 over three seasons. Before that, he spent 12 years with Seton Hall and three years at Iona. While his next chapter at Villanova begins, the fallout from his Maryland exit is unlikely to fade anytime soon.