Willard met the media for the first time since becoming the head coach of the Wildcats. He talked about his exit from Maryland and much more.

SAN ANTONIO -- Before taking the Villanova job this past weekend, Kevin Willard had a phone conversation with Jay Wright from the back of Willard’s deck.

One of the deciders in the process was none other than Jay Wright, Willard’s former adversary over a decade coaching at Seton Hall. After formal conversations with university President Rev. Peter Donohue and athletic director Eric Roedl, Willard fired up the old Big East phone tree Saturday night.

Maryland men’s basketball fans were high on Buzz Williams before he was officially hired as the Terps’ new coach.

But yes, Willard confessed, he was generally aware of the consensus sentiment that he used Maryland as just a pawn to get whatever it was he wanted at a traditional power such as Villanova. So perhaps Willard knew Maryland alumnus and ESPN star Scott Van Pelt went scorched earth on him and said,

After four seasons leading the Maryland Terrapins, Kevin Willard is on to a fresh start as head coach of the Villanova Wildcats. The transition was, uhhh, not the smoothest, shall we say, as Willard’s new gig began to materialize in the middle of the Terps' run through March Madness.