Maryland is in the market for someone to lead its men’s basketball program, suddenly and stunningly, turbocharging the carousel right from the start. An abrupt December departure for Mark Turgeon means months of clamoring for a position with about as many built-in advantages as a coach could want. The Terrapins have reached the Sweet 16 once in the last 18 seasons. They’ve missed the NCAA Tournament as many times as they’ve made it the last 10 years that event has been held. But this belies the place’s potential. The phrase sleeping giant was thrown about Friday by people across the sport, and though it’s a tired cliche, it’s also true.
Consider Maryland officials under enormous pressure, starting now. Because putting the right person in that chair could send a shudder through the landscape.
The decision to leave was Turgeon’s, a source told The Athletic’s Dana O’Neil. We know Maryland’s fan base has been exasperated with Turgeon for some time, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the feeling was mutual. But that sort of tension could spin into a positive here. A new coach will find a school and an audience desperate to be reenergized. A massive head start in identifying and vetting candidates only increases the burden to make a hire capable of drawing on that energy for an immediate, substantial impact.
Job evaluation
The best available gig of the 2022 men’s basketball coaching carousel may have opened before 2021 ended. That’s how highly regarded the Maryland job should be.
