If you’ve read this space before, you probably recognize that my goal is to be genuine, not necessarily the loudest. The bad part about that is that our business has a history of benefitting the squeakiest wheels. The good part is that you never have to be worried that I’m saying anything for the sake of saying it.
The bad part for me is that when I’m wrong, I very much have to own it. I cannot attempt to suggest I was simply bloviating for the sake of getting attention. Anything I say is legitimately how I feel.
In 2023 I said very many things. I was wrong about a number of them. But in particular, I was extraordinarily wrong about one. I mean, the type of wrong that even the “Freezing Cold Takes” account would pass on because it was such a grotesque miss.
I, Glenn Clark, typed the following sentence for the October/November print issue of PressBox.
“I’m not sure I’ve felt this good about the health of Maryland basketball since the start of the 2009-10 season.”
I’m not remotely kidding you when I say that re-reading this actually give me chills. I put that not only on Al Gore’s internet but it is documented in the type of ink that costs actual American dollars and was read by thousands of Maryland residents whilst sitting on their commodes and/or looking down at their picnic tables whilst waiting for the crabs to be poured out.
I really said that. I really felt that. I was … so spectacularly wrong. Just brutally and historically wrong. Oh and quickly! Quickly wrong! It took exactly four games into the season for me to wonder how long it might take to visit every area Royal Farms and rip out the last page of a magazine still available on stands.
And that’s of course the worst part about this year’s Maryland basketball season, right? It just had to keep you guys up at night knowing the embarrassment your favorite heroic weekly columnist was feeling.
I’m guessing I wasn’t the only person who was optimistic about the program coming into the season though, right? In an era of extreme turnover in college hoops, the Terrapins brought back three of their top four scorers (losing only Hakim Hart to Villanova) and added two top-100 prospects (DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser) to a team that was coming off a surprisingly solid season that concluded in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
That seemed like it had to be the floor for this year’s team! With head coach Kevin Willard further entrenched in the job and a roster that appeared to have exactly the right balance of battle-tested, high level veterans and talented newcomers that truly looked the part, there was good reason for Maryland to be picked third in the Big Ten preseason poll. It wasn’t just me.
You of course know what happened, at least from a factual standpoint. It was … bad. The team never got their feet underneath them and, save for the moments after their surprising win at Illinois, never appeared to be a threat to even make the NCAA Tournament. Their 28.88 percent three-point shooting as a team was worse than all but 12 of the 351 Division I programs in the entire country. They ranked 230th in offensive efficiency. They didn’t win a lot of games, but at least the games they played were also unpleasant to watch.
Perhaps the most unpalatable part of the season (and it’s admittedly difficult to pinpoint just one) was the wildly inconsistent play of those highly-regarded freshmen. While both Harris-Smith and Kaiser had their moments (Kaiser in particular in a home win against Nebraska), the quality moments were few and far between. There were just as many moments where the duo either missed open shots in big moments or appeared clearly unwilling to take open shots in big moments out of fear they might miss.
The development issue that was so often discussed during Mark Turgeon’s tenure now goes right back under the microscope for Willard.
Suggesting Willard be fired is no more than wasted breath. Not only is it reckless to consider firing any coach after one disappointing season, it is financially next to impossible thanks to a buyout that would require him to be paid 90 percent of what’s left on his original seven-year, $29 million deal. It isn’t happening. Maryland has to solve this problem WITH Kevin Willard but now WITHOUT the grace of the fan base. That’s … sub-optimal.
The good news in college basketball these days is that things can turn around quickly. For example, North Carolina is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year after being left out of the tournament altogether last year. The bad news is that social media is abuzz with rumors that more players could be choosing to leave the program in the coming days.
Given the brutal state of things at the moment, the commitment of Baltimore native and five-star prospect Derik Queen was critical for the program — if just for proof of life. Sometimes one truly great incoming freshman can turn things around almost all on their own. Consider that Queen is Maryland’s most highly-ranked commitment since Diamond Stone and … you know what, let’s not think about that for now.
Willard will have to hit the transfer portal hard in the coming weeks to rebuild the roster, notably needing some shooters. He’ll also have to try to fight to maintain some of the pieces on his team. As disappointing as Kaiser and Harris-Smith were, any path to righting the ship next year probably still involves them being back and taking a massive step forward.
He’ll need some support in the NIL department, but it’s not a great time to ask a lukewarm fanbase for greater financial commitment.
Nothing is ideal. This might be the moment that ultimately defines Willard’s tenure at Maryland.
Admittedly, I no longer feel very good about the overall health of Maryland basketball. But I hope that next year at this time I’m writing about how I was wrong about that, too.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox