The worst-kept secret in college hoops appears to be coming to fruition
It’s been no secret that Texas A&M basketball coach Buzz Williams has been linked to the Maryland job opening, with speculation being rampant for the past week. Now, with former Maryland coach Scott Willard taking the job at Villanova, and Williams’ buyout decreasing from $2 million to $1 million as of today, it appears the Terrapins have their guy.
Sources: Buzz Williams is expected to be the next coach at Maryland. The sides are finalizing a deal. pic.twitter.com/xh2ibEQxPV
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 1, 2025
Texas A&M confirms MBB coach Buzz Williams’ departure to Maryland with a statement form Trev Alberts pic.twitter.com/GExLk9e24R
— . (@Travis_L_Brown) April 1, 2025
This is the second time in the last 15 years that A&M has lost a basketball coach to Maryland, with Mark Turgeon leaving College Station for the Maryland job in 2011.
Williams was at Texas A&M for six years, making the NCAA Tournament each of the last three seasons, but never advancing past the round of 32. His tenure was marked with a ton of good basketball, but rarely great basketball, and after making it to a Sweet 16 at Virginia Tech and multiple Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 at Marquette, it’s safe to say his time in Aggieland ultimately did not live up to the expectations when he was first hired.
Now the Aggies and AD Trev Alberts get to hire a new head coach who, thanks to the fact that A&M had eight graduating senior on the 24-25 team, also needs to do a massive overhaul on the A&M roster. The only significant contributors from last year’s team with eligibility remaining are C Pharrell Payne and F Solomon Washington, but it is unclear if they would want to remain at A&M or follow their coach to College Park.
But hey, coaching searches are always fun.