Buzz Williams Leaving for Virginia Tech
By Cam Newton
Dec 1, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Buzz Williams during the first half of the game against the San Diego State Aztecs at the Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In a very surprising move, it was reported today that Marquette Head Coach Buzz Williams will be named coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Williams has been at Marquette since 2008, taking over for Tom Crean, who left to take the job at Indiana. In his six seasons with the Golden Eagles, Williams has gone to five NCAA tournaments, including one Elite Eight appearance.
This season, Marquette seemed to have an above-average year, going 17-11 and missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Williams’s tenure as head coach. Despite this, he had a solid incoming recruiting class, with two four-star players already signing with Marquette (Ahmed Hill and Sandy Cohen). Williams is a great recruiter and that was definitely a factor for his hiring in a job vacated days ago after the two season tenure of James Johnson.
Buzz Williams left Marquette for a variety of reasons, sources told ESPN. One of the biggest was new league/new TV package.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 21, 2014
Former UCLA coach Ben Howland wants Marquette. He wants back in the Big East. He makes sense to continue similar path of play.
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) March 21, 2014
Buzz Williams had 3 2014 4-star recruits signed, plus a 4-star in 2015. The coaching carousel is about to shake up the recruiting world.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) March 21, 2014