SAN FRANCISCO — Maryland coach Kevin Willard declined to say whether he had spoken to Villanova administrators about its open coaching vacancy following a season-ending 87-71 loss to No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.
Willard, who just finished his third season in College Park after arriving from Seton Hall, has been rumored as the top candidate at Villanova following the firing of coach Kyle Neptune earlier this month. Willard is believed to be supremely interested in a return to the Big East and to a school that revolves around hoops, but he has also made it clear he’s fighting for better resources at Maryland, which would mean a hearty commitment of NIL and forthcoming revenue-share dollars, a sticky fight at a Big Ten school that also wants to compete in football.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Willard said. “I haven’t talked to my agent, my wife. I made a promise to this team. Just focus on this team, and that’s what I’ve done. I haven’t talked to anyone. I have an agent, I’m sure he’s talking to people. That’s what agents like to do.”
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for the Maryland athletic department. Athletics director Damon Evans was hired away by SMU to serve in the same…
