Buzz Williams on year one assessment, fan criticism, analyzing Maryland basketball

Ahmed Ghafir
9 minutes ago
12 min read

Everything head coach Buzz Williams said midway through his first season as head coach of Maryland basketball:

On building on a conference win

"I've mentioned to you before, I've been very inspired by the resilience of our group. Our staff has been really good at continuing to find margins for us to improve in. The result hasn't been what we wanted but credit to our guys. I think they've done their best within the process and so for them to be rewarded the way that they were, it was fun to watch. And it was fun to be a part of in the postgame locker room, traveling home. So all of that is good."

On the upcoming game vs. Iowa, return game, what they do on defense

"It's our first mirror opponent. And it seems like an eternity ago since we played them. But to your point, top-20 offense in the country. One of the best lead guards in our league, if not the country. But I think what doesn't get the notoriety maybe that they're deserving of is they're number one in the league and turnover rate in turnovers forced, top ten in the country in turnovers forced. They really cause havoc because of what they do off the ball defensively. And the more I watch - and I still have more to do - but the more I watch, I think what they're doing defensively is aiding their offensive numbers. If you look at what they've done in their eight wins versus their four losses, and you see the difference analytically and what they were doing defensively and offensively, I think their defense is helping their offense is what good teams do. But our struggle at their place, and it's been our struggle at other times too, but 18 turnovers equal 21 points for them. That's not to take away from the prowess that they play with offensively and the unique design to their offense, but our offense actually help their offense because of what they do defensively."

Whether Buzz gets a feeling for a Coit scoring performance ahead of tipoff

"We're very transparent within the program, not just with Diggy, with all of those guys, I think the game before he had shot nine balls for nine points, the game before he had shot 11 balls for 11 points. We don't have the margin offensively to be able to absorb that. And Elijah [Saunders] scored 20 the game before and he scored two the game before that. And so how can we find consistency? Obviously, Diggy has the ability to score, but how can we find consistency, not just from Diggy, but from everybody?

I don't necessarily think that I have an inkling. I think once it gets going, we try to find ways to maybe keep it going because we are deficient in some ways offensively. So when we can find somebody just like Elijah, I think 20 was his game career high at Maryland, and so we were trying to run other things to give him looks. Some of that transpires with Diggy and some of his exploit scoring wise. But I don't necessarily think it's an inkling. Sometimes it's off ball screen coverage. Sometimes it's what they do off the ball when he has the ball. You can kind of maybe predetermine some of that. But some of that's changed as the scouting report on him has changed. And so since [Pharrel Payne] has been out, your scouting reports going to change because there's nobody to throw it inside to. But I think that one thing that was really good for us is we scored a lot of points at the rim at Minnesota, but it's not necessarily because we were throwing it inside to someone. So we've tried to figure out some new things offensively, off penetration, how our movement can maybe put more pressure on the rim."

Whether this has been the hardest coaching job for Buzz

"I think from a difficulty standpoint, relative to the results, you always want to do better. And I don't want it to be about me, but this hasn't happened often in my career, but I've also never coached a team with 15 new players, which is part of what this model has become. But as I've said, and I was saying it not post Sunday, I was saying it amidst the streak of losing, those guys have been great in regards to listening. They've been great in regards to wanting to do what we're asking us to do. Has every one of our practices been a ten out of a ten? No, but it's not because the intent of their heart is wrong. They've stayed together. I thought we were together in spirit, and it was rewarding for them to see some of the results. But I've seen a lot of teams quit. In the 25-26 season, you can do a lot of research on this, there's been more lopsided games than ever before in the history of college basketball. And there's probably a multitude of reasons for that, but our guys, to their credit and their parents credit, have kind of hung around. And I've told them that long before I was saying it publicly, we will be held accountable to the results, but their willingness to stay true to the process, I really appreciate it."

On an update for Pharrel Payne

"No sir."

On pursuing Kyree Walker (Buzz Williams cannot comment specifically on unsigned prospects)

"I'm not allowed to talk about a prospect. What I can say is, all of this is ever changing, and so I think it's incumbent upon all of us in coaching to continue to investigate all ways and explore options. A visit, it hasn't happened. I don't look at the internet, so whatever you're speaking of, I can't speak to a prospect, but visits are probably not what they once were. That's part of our investigative process, and you have to be prepared on whatever this is going to end up being to assemble the best roster. And so our staff has been again, roster construction in year number one, when we got the job, being more prepared and better prepared, I think we took a great step in who we signed in November. We're excited about those guys and we'll have to be in that same prepared mode when the spring hits."

On whether G League players should be able to play in college basketball

"I think, like every coach is saying, like, what are the rules? Is that possible? And I think that's what my point is not specific to that kid, just specific to what this has become. Is it American kids? Is it European kids? Is it kids that played in the NBA, kids that didn't play in the NBA, kids that didn't finish their college eligibility, kids that did finish their college eligibility. There's a lot of minutia in there that nobody has the exact answer to, and that's why I think you have to - doesn't mean that you're going to make a decision on who you're going to sign. But I think once, at some point, maybe there will be some establishment of what it is. But until then, I think you have to be prepared to assemble the best roster that you can, knowing that they fit what you want to be about on and off the floor."

What progress looks like this season

"We've called it foundational February. Over the last ten days, what are we doing in the film room? What are we doing on the floor? Is it two day before? Is it one day before? Is it early bird? I made a decision post-Sunday when we were traveling back, we were scheduled to do two day before yesterday. I changed it and we did early bird today. I thought our guys needed a day off, physically and mentally. I think there has been some traction in the process of the progress we want to make in year number one. Not the results that we want, but in regards to what we want to be about. And we've tried not to, specifically this month, we've tried not to have so many adjustments that we lose track of the foundation. Some of the things that we're doing in pre-practice are things that we would do in October. Some of the things that we're doing that we're about to do right now in in film, one day before, these are the things that we would do in November. Just so that we continue to stay true to what we want to be about, not just in between the lines, but when we're when we're working in private, so to say."

On the starting lineups

"I think we've tried 11 different groups. I know some of that, obviously, is based on the roster availability. Some of that is based on, I think this was post game against Ohio State, it could have been Purdue, I can't remember if you. If you look at all of the things that we need to improve at offensively, and you looked at all the things that we need to do improve at defensively, is there anything that intertwines? And the one thing that we thought we were deficient at on both sides of the ball was on the glass. And so our 11th starting lineup was based somewhat on can we be a little bigger? Can we be a little taller? Can we be a little more physical? And if so, would that equate to our offensive rebound percentages better and our defensive rebound percentage is better?

And the last two games it has been. There's a consequence to that, relative to now in foundational February, can you do those exact same things that you want to do offensively and defensively with those five guys because that changes your rotation. And so I'm not saying that we're going to stay with it, but there has been, I can't remember what we were on the offensive glass, but dramatically better. Our defensive rebound percentage is not better, but we have blocked a couple of shots, which is not been the case, and we haven't got our shots blocked quite as much, and we have had a higher free throw attempt rate. The thing that really skewed the numbers was giving the ball to Ohio State 16 times. And so was that because of the new starting lineup? We played with a much lower turnover rate. I know they played different defensively, but if we can accrue any points from the free throw line, it sure does help us offensively. But the way that we're going to accrue those free throw points is the same way anybody else would. Can we not give the ball to the other team? Can we get a shot on the rim and possibly get it back, and then can we do - similar to what I was saying earlier - since we're not really throwing it in there to anybody, is there anything that we can do, from a premise standpoint that off penetration, our movement puts pressure on the rim? I think there has been some carryover in that, and I don't know this is kind of coach cliche stuff, and I try not to ever say that stuff, but I don't know that any of the starting lineups, differences or changes has really mattered. Against Ohio State, we had our first turkey in the first four minutes in Big Ten play. That was a huge swing vote to start that same group, even though [Darius Adams] I think, gave the ball to them four times. What I wanted to say, though, is I don't necessarily, I'm not over concerned about who starts, just the consistency of who's playing. Think against Purdue...we started a different group and started out 10-2. Okay, well, we can't - that's hard for us to overcome. Start a different group against Ohio State. Collectively have 16 turnovers, but we got a turkey in the first four minutes. Played in a real game from start to finish on the road. Is it because of who started? I thought we started pretty good again, but I think it was the consistency of was Diggy a little bit Diggy? Did Solo have double figure rebounds? Did we play with a low turnover rate? We shot over 70% from the free throw line. We did a great job on the offensive glass. We weren't terrible on the defensive glass. I think it's almost an anomaly, to be honest, that they shot 50% of their balls from three and made 14 of them, and we still won on the road. But if you look at some of the other things that we did defensively, it was the best. Percentage of shots that they scored at the rim, etc, etc. So is it the starters? Is it a bigger group? It's probably a little bit of all of it."

On fan frustration from lack of program's visibility

"There's been a lot of guys in their first year done a great job. A lot of them in this league. Niko's done a great job. Coach at Indiana's done a great job. The coach that's coming in here tonight has done an unbelievable job. We have to do a better job in our decisions. We have to do a better job in our evaluations. We can't control the injuries. That's not justification for our lack of success. I think Maryland is a great job. I am completely aware whatever was going on on the internet that said I didn't want to talk to the media, I don't know. I have not tried to dodge anything relative to the results. I've coached 19 years as a head coach. I'm completely aware of how good Maryland is and how disappointing our season has been. Our staff is continuing to study and figure out ways for improvement, but our system going forward will be more sustainable. We're excited about a lot of the things that we've learned and there's not an excuse or justification for our lack of success, other than we have to do better and we will do better."

On hearing more from the head coach, players more, whether Buzz has done everything possible

Buzz: "I would say I've done as much or more than I've done anywhere. I don't know exactly what I should have. What do you think I should have done more of?

Taylor Lyons: "I'm just speaking for fans. More face time"

Buzz: "I've said yes to everything I've ever been asked to do, unless it was relative to practice or a game. Whatever was said by John or Big Ten or media, I don't know all of those people, but I have never said no unless it impacted what I needed to do on my job. So I apologize for those that don't think they know me or whoever these fans are. I'm happy to - I'm not hiding anything."

On learning more about the history of the program

"I read a lot. I did know probably more than a newcomer, just because of my relationship with Coach Williams, my relationship with Coach drizzle. Obviously, I know Coach Driesell's family from way back. George Raveling and I were extremely close. That was coach Driesell's first hire here. So I've known about Maryland long before I came here and long before those relationships with all of those coaches started. What I've tried to do since I've been here is - Coach Locksley has been great on helping me with the past, and then I've tried to read at least one book a month, specific to Maryland athletics. I read in January. My book was coach [Ralph] Friedgen's book that was written in 1992. I know that's a different era. I knew bits and pieces of that because I know Coach Franklin very well, and I love football, but one of the...I haven't met her, and I don't use email. But anyway, I have this copy of every book ever written that has to do with the history of Maryland, not just athletics. And so I go through that, and I don't know, I don't have a computer, and so when I see it, I just take a picture of it and I send it to my ops guy to read that. This month I'm going to read Coach Williams, I've already read two on coach, I can't remember the name of this one. So I would say I probably know more history about Maryland than most people that have only been here for seven months. But I love learning about all that stuff, especially if it's if it's about coaches. I haven't read it yet. It's on my list, I keep telling him I'm gonna read it and I'm going to is Johnny Holiday's book."

On what he wants his point guard to look like in his system

"Any of the four year players that we've had that have played the point for us. I know we were spoiled the last four years, but the four year point guard at Virginia Tech was really good, and the four year point guard at Marquette was really good for us. Can he run your team? Is he a quarterback? Is he vocal? Does he impact winning whether he has the ball or doesn't have the ball? Can he guard a guard, not necessarily the point guard? Can he make good decisions that impact the team relative to time, score, momentum? Does he have an innate sense for what is right, whether it involves him or somebody on his team? Does he make the other four guys on the floor better, or is it only for him? And personally, I would like you to play with at least a 2.5, 3.5- assist the turnover ratio, and I would like 18-to-22% of your points to come from the free throw line. That would be what I think a good ball guard is."

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