Kevin Willard’s Maryland exit ruffles ESPN star’s feathers

Kevin Willard left the Maryland Terrapins men’s basketball team to take over the Villanova Wildcats, attempting to resurrect the program that saw Jay Wright leave a few years ago.

Willard’s departure came after the Terrapins had a fun run in March Madness, which saw Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater give them a win over Colorado State. Maryland’s run ended in the Sweet 16 with a loss to the No. 1-seeded Florida Gators.

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Sports broadcaster Scott Van Pelt reacts during the second half at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Michigan State Spartans at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland, on Feb. 26, 2025. (Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images)

It was the deepest tournament run for Willard’s team since he took over the Terps before the start of the 2022-23 season. He had been with the Seton Hall Pirates before that.

However, as quickly as he arrived, Willard was gone. He was announced as the new head coach at Villanova on Sunday as the Wildcats prepared for the College Basketball Crown. The decision for Willard to leave angered Maryland fans, including ESPN broadcaster Scott Van Pelt.

“Of course Kevin Willard can go to Villanova,” Van Pelt started. “Of course, you can go back to your Big East roots. Of course, if it’s better for your family –– we’re savages, but we’re not soulless savages. If it’s better for your family, of course. But maybe you don’t take a giant s— on the front steps of the house you’ve lived in for the last three years.

Maryland Terrapins head coach Kevin Willard addresses the media in a press conference during NCAA Tournament West Regional Practice at Chase Center in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. (Kyle Terada-Imagn Images)

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“You don’t do damage to the university and program where you’ve been for three years. And you don’t take efforts of the people behind the scenes who poured their hearts and souls into this for free for you to try and fill in the gaps. And tell them, ‘Nah, nah I love this university and I just want it to be great. And I’m anal, and I’m an A-hole and I just want this program to be the best it can be.

“Maybe you don’t tell those people that to their face repeatedly when everyone in the industry is saying to me, ‘Scott, why are you guys wasting your time? This is done. Everybody in the business knows it. He’s gone.’”

ESPN commentator Scott Van Pelt reacts during the second half at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland, on Jan 29, 2025. (Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images)

Van Pelt, a Maryland grad, appeared to be upset with how Willard started the tournament. The coach took subtle shots at outgoing athletics director Damon Evans and complained of the lack of NIL resources the program had.

The broadcaster suggested Willard’s requests were not made in good faith.

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Regardless, Willard is off on a new journey. He was 65-39 in three seasons at Maryland. He spent 12 years at Seton Hall and three years at Iona.

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