Gary Williams' Last Stand
Baltimore-area fans have seen this scenario before. And it hasn’t ended in the coach’s favor.
A longtime coach who turned around a downtrodden team is on the hot seat. The coach’s success and personality have made him a face of the franchise. Even a national championship in the early 2000s can’t seem to quiet the critics. The fan base calls for change.
Who is the coach who only months ago went through what Williams is experiencing now? None other than former Ravens coach Brian Billick, who was fired after a disastrous 5-11 2007-2008 season.
Such a thought would have been unfathomable six
years ago, when the Terps were basking in their 2002 National Championship. But three trips to the NIT in four years will help start rumors. As will a dismal—albeit improving—graduation rate.
But perhaps the most egregious mark against Williams is his failure to sign and retain the type of impact players needed to compete in the ACC.
He thought he had three for the upcoming season in Gus Gilchrist, Tyree Evans and Sean Mosley. If the season started today guess how many of Williams’ high-profile recruits would suit up.
Zero.
Evans asked out of his commitment after news of his notorious past brought substantial negative backlash. Gilchrist just signed with South Florida with hopes of receiving a waiver allowing him to play immediately. Mosley is still awaiting academic approval.
Additionally, forward Shane Walker decided to transfer, although his loss does not have significant impact on the team’s chances this year.
This season will have Terps fans trying to talk themselves into trusting Greivis Vasquez and believing that he will lead the Terps back to the NCAA Tournament. And telling themselves that Eric Hayes really can play at a high level in the ACC.
For the Terps to have any chance of competing in the ACC the triumvirate of Landon Milbourne, Cliff Tucker and Adrian Bowie has to make major strides.
Otherwise, a sub-.500 (overall) season is not out of the question. The last time the Terps did that was 1992-1993.
But then again, as Orioles fans can tell you, it’s possible for a young, scrappy team to overachieve through pure determination and grit. Maybe low expectations aren’t so bad after all. The “no one believed in us” card is one of the more effective ones in all of sports in terms of rallying a team.
Realistically Williams has one more chance to show he deserves to remain the head coach. It’s not likely that he’ll be fired before or during the season, but a post-season canning is a strong possibility if the team again fails to make the Big Dance.
Maryland’s official website recently ran a three-part series entitled “The Gary Williams Era,” which chronicled the longtime coach’s impact on the community, basketball court and in the classroom. The site’s editors might want to keep that series on hand, because they might need a piece recapping the coach’s career if the team again flounders.
Photo Courtesy of Gail Burton - AP
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Gary Williams' Last Stand
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