Scott Van Pelt shreds Kevin Willard for way he left Maryland
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Scott Van Pelt, a Maryland alumnus and supporter of the Terrapins, is not happy with how basketball coach Kevin Willard handled his departure from the program.
In a SVPod clip posted to social media, the ESPN host took aim at how Willard handled the noise surrounding his status while coaching the Terps in the NCAA Tournament. Van Pelt emphasized that his frustration with his alma mater’s former coach is more about how Willard handled things than the decision to leave for Villanova.
“Of course, Kevin Willard can go to Villanova,” Van Pelt said. “Of course, you can go back to your Big East roots. Of course, if it is 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 (bleep) on the front steps on the house you have lived in for the last 3 years. You don’t do damage to the University and program where you have been for 3 years. And you don’t take the efforts of the people behind the scenes who have poured their hearts and souls into this for free, for you to try and fill in the gaps. And tell them that you’re, ‘Nah, nah, I love this University and I just want it to be great. And I am anal and I’m an a-hole and I just want this program to be the best it can be.’”
Willard’s departure was rumored even as Maryland geared up to face Florida in the Sweet 16. Van Pelt recalled what he was hearing and expressed his frustration with the situation at his alma mater.
“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. Everyone in the business knows it, he’s gone,'” Van Pelt stated. “This year was so much fun. And Kevin Willard was a huge part of that. Did an awesome job in the portal, I praised him. Did an awesome job with the team, the analytics, the approach, going a little faster, this that and the other thing. Awesome, awesome, awesome. And then, unfortunately, the entire thing got sabotaged and hijacked by a 2-week-long storyline that wouldn’t go away, no matter how much he tried to deflect or go on with (Kevin) Sheehan locally.
“He did the ‘As of now, as of right now…’ (Sheehan) did a great job asking very pointed questions. ‘If Maryland gives you everything you want…’ ‘Of course!’ And that’s the part that’s really really hard to not allow to bother me. Because I know the people involved. And because I was very vocal in saying that I agreed with him. He should get those things, he was not wrong. But what really troubles me is asking good and decent people that busted their a** on your behalf to jump through hoops to give you the things you say you want, knowing full well, nothing they give you – A, B, C and D – ain’t gonna be enough, because you are gone.”
Maryland moved quickly in replacing Willard, turning to Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams.
On Kevin Willard leaving Maryland for Villanova: pic.twitter.com/2t1dbrQQSf
— SVPod (@_SVPod) April 1, 2025
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
