Kevin Willard von Maryland Men Basketball wants to make fundamental changes in terms of contract negotiations

Kevin Willard, head coach of Maryland men, said that he had to see fundamental changes to the program before signing a contract extension, but that the negotiations are currently difficult because the athletics director of Maryland, Damon Evans, is probably on the way for the same position in the SMU.

“He probably goes to Smu, so it is difficult to negotiate with someone who may not be here,” said Willard on Thursday during the availability of NCAA tournament media. “But I have to make fundamental changes to the program. I am currently concentrating on that, so a deal is probably not complete.”

Willard was strongly rumored for the recent opening as the new head coach of Villanova’s men. Although Willard does not directly deny his interest in the position during a press conference, he solved some concerns and said: “Damon Evans and I, he hired me, we are on the same side what we want to do for this program, what we want to do for this university.”

His sound and superficial reaction changed days later. At the head of Willard’s concerns are the NIL budget and sales shares of the program. The 20.5 million dollar sales of the school sends 13 million US dollars to the football program, 4 million US dollars up to $ 5 million to men’s basketball and 1 million US dollar to women basketball.

“We have been one of the worst, if not the lowest (in the big ten) in Nil in the past two years,” said Willard. “I also have to make a fundamental change where I can do the things I want to do with my program.”

Willard said he wanted to spend an additional night in New York to celebrate Christmas with the team after his victory against Syracuse on December 21, but was announced that the additional night was too expensive.

“I don’t know how we can be a top program and I can’t spend an additional night in New York because it is too expensive,” he said.

Willard’s comments come a day before No. 4-Seed Terps and the highest sowing of the program since 2015-in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Grand Canyon No. 13. Maryland has also achieved its most victories in one season (25) since 2015-16.

In his three years, Willard led Maryland to the national tournament twice and defeated the place at that time. 9-seed West Virginia in the first round in 2023.

“If you have been somewhere for three years and I love it here, you will find things that have to be changed,” said Willard, “and at the moment I have the opportunity to make sure that I make basic changes to what I think to be successful.”