Buzz Williams knows exactly what he signed up for when he took over at Maryland - a basketball program with deep roots, a passionate fanbase, and expectations that don’t just hover over the program; they live in its DNA. And this week, as the Terps continue to battle through one of their toughest seasons in recent memory, Williams didn’t shy away from addressing the noise.
Speaking on the Kevin Sheehan Show, Williams opened up about the intensity of coaching at a school where basketball isn’t just part of the culture - it is the culture. After years at football-first programs like Virginia Tech and Texas A&M, he’s now in the thick of a fanbase that lives and breathes hoops.
“Maryland’s a really good job and that people care,” Williams said. “I also understand, ‘Buzz, we got to do better.
This is Maryland.’ And I’m thankful that we’re at a place that can and will do better, and has always done better.”
That’s the crux of it. Williams isn’t brushing off the criticism - he’s embracing it.
He understands that with Maryland’s tradition comes a higher bar. And right now, even with back-to-back wins over Minnesota and Iowa, the Terps are still sitting at 10-14 overall and just 3-10 in Big Ten play.
That’s not the standard, and he knows it.
But what stands out is how Williams has handled the adversity. He’s not pointing fingers. In fact, he’s doing the opposite.
“Some of the things that have transpired are 1,000 percent Buzz Williams’s fault,” he admitted. “Some of the things that have transpired have been out of our control, and our group has shown up every day. Our staff has been very thoughtful in finding margins for us to compete in this process.”
That process has been anything but smooth. Injuries have taken a real toll.
Forward Solomon Washington missed a large stretch of the season, and standout center Pharrell Payne has been sidelined for more than half the year. That’s not just a hit to the starting lineup - that’s a blow to the team’s entire identity on both ends of the floor.
Still, Williams isn’t offering up excuses. He’s walking a fine line - acknowledging the challenges without using them as a shield.
“I’m always super cautious, and try to pray over my words and my thoughts before I ever say anything publicly,” he said. “There’s a multitude of things that I could say, but I also think you have to be careful... because you don’t want it to come across as justification for the lack of success.”
That’s a coach who’s trying to lead with accountability, even when the results aren’t there. He’s owning his part in a disappointing season while still backing his players and staff for the effort they’ve shown through the grind.
And make no mistake - this season has been a grind. But Williams is still locked in, still searching for those “margins” that can turn close losses into wins, and still pushing a group that hasn’t quit on the year.
There’s no sugarcoating the record. Maryland fans expect more - and Williams does too.
But his comments this week show a coach who’s not ducking the pressure. He’s leaning into it, knowing that the only way to rebuild something great is by facing the hard truths head-on.
So while this season may not be one for the highlight reels, the way Williams is navigating it - with humility, honesty, and a relentless drive to improve - might just lay the foundation for what’s next. Because at Maryland, basketball matters. And Williams is showing he understands exactly what that means.