Here's Why Buzz Williams Decided to Leave Texas A&M After Six Seasons as Head Coach

After much speculation in recent weeks, college basketball coach Buzz Williams has stepped down as the head coach at Texas A&M after six years. He has now agreed to a deal to become the new head coach of the Maryland Terrapins.

"It is an honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the University of Maryland men's basketball team," Buzz said in a press release. "In leading this program, I promise to uphold the history of Maryland basketball and make Terp Nation proud with the men who represent this institution."

While his enthusiasm for this new role is crystal clear, the question remains: Why did Buzz Williams leave Texas A&M? Here's everything you need to know.

At the time of writing, Buzz Williams has not publicly stated the exact reasons for his departure from Texas A&M. However, we will continue to follow the situation closely and provide updates if and when he addresses his exit.

Now, it's worth noting that he has never stayed longer than six years in any of his previous coaching positions. This pattern suggests that Buzz Williams may have been looking for a new challenge, possibly hoping for a fresh start that could lead to even greater success.

That said, another possibility is that Buzz left due to his lack of success in the NCAA Tournament, particularly during "March Madness." Over his six years with Texas A&M, he never advanced past the first round, with his most recent tournament exit coming on March 22, 2025, when the Aggies were eliminated by Michigan in the Round of 32.

Adding to the intrigue, Texas reporter Brian Davis revealed via X (formerly Twitter) on April 1 — the same day Buzz's hiring at Maryland was announced — that Buzz's departure was not entirely smooth. Davis reported that Buzz had not been in communication with Texas A&M officials for nearly two weeks following the team's loss in the tournament, hinting at some potential tension surrounding his exit.

After news broke that Buzz would be joining the Maryland basketball team as their head coach, CBS Sports reporter John Talty shared that sources indicated that Buzz "pushed for the job before [head coach Kevin] Willard was even officially gone."

Kevin Willard had been vocal about his frustrations with the Maryland administration, particularly over general funding and NIL resources for the program. Even though he expressed his willingness to return if those demands were met, uncertainty grew after athletic director Damon Evans left for Southern Methodist University. Ultimately, Kevin parted ways with Maryland and joined the Villanova Wildcats.

Maryland president Darryll J. Pines voiced strong support for the hiring of Buzz Williams, calling him "the ideal coach to lead us forward."

In a press release, Pines also emphasized the importance of Maryland Athletics to the university and stated, "Finding the right person to lead Maryland Men's Basketball was critical to the continued success of our program, both on and off the court." He added, "We could not be more thrilled to welcome him to College Park."