One of the deciders in the process was none other than Jay Wright, Willard’s former adversary over a decade coaching at Seton Hall. After formal conversations with university President Rev. Peter Donohue and athletic director Eric Roedl, Willard fired up the old Big East phone tree Saturday night.

“All I’m going to say is that Maryland just got a great coach in Buzz [Williams],” Willard said at the same time Williams was being introduced at a live press conference on campus. “I’m really happy for them, and I’m super excited to be in a great basketball conference here [in the Big East]. And I just think it’s time that everyone moved on.”

Three days after officially becoming Villanova’s head coach, Kevin Willard spoke Wednesday with reporters on Zoom. Willard has had a busy few days. He traveled Monday to Indianapolis to watch the women’s team play in a WBIT semifinal,

SAN ANTONIO -- Before taking the Villanova job this past weekend, Kevin Willard had a phone conversation with Jay Wright from the back of Willard’s deck.

Buzz Williams was the first person to utter the name “Willard,” and that was 29 minutes into the news conference/pep rally celebrating Williams’ arrival as the fresh steward of Maryland men’s basketball.

Maryland has hired Buzz Williams as its men’s basketball coach. The Terrapins quickly moved on after Kevin Willard left to take the Villanova job.

Maryland has reached an agreement with Buzz Williams to make him the new men's basketball coach, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. Pete Thamel of ESPN reported the sides finalized a six-year contract.

Maryland star forward Julian Reese and guard Selton Miguel are out of eligibility. Star center Derik Queen will likely head to the 2025 NBA Draft as a projected lottery pick.

Maryland is hiring Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams to succeed Kevin Willard, the school announced Tuesday. The Aggies coach will take over a program without a sitting athletic director after Maryland AD Damon Evans left for the same job at SMU last month.