Maryland alum Len Elmore makes impassioned plea for Terps leaders to hire 'within the family'

As Maryland prepares to hire a new basketball coach following the messy departure of Kevin Willard for Villanova, one famous alum is making a plea. Stay within the family.

Len Elmore, who played at Maryland in the early ’70s before going on to a successful NBA career, penned a letter to Maryland leadership and the fanbase at large. He raised a few key points.

Chief among them? A desire to see Maryland stick with its own ‘blood.’

“The quest by fans, media types and donor influencers to merely win the press conference by taking a ‘big swing’ and hiring an outsider who leaves one program to coach the Terps only to leave after a few years is maddening,” Elmore wrote. “When these hires leave their former program for us, they are telling you who they are, and we need to believe them. Since our full blooded Terp in Coach Gary Williams retired, it’s been inconsistency after inconsistency after inconsistency. The common thread: outsiders.”

Elmore then referenced Duke and North Carolina as examples of programs that have had great success hiring from within. He urged Maryland brass to ‘ignore the media recommended quick fixes and seek program consistency by hiring from within the Terp family.’

So who might Maryland look to if it takes Elmore’s advice to heart? There are a few options.

American coach Duane Simpkins and former Coppin State coach Juan Dixon are two with ties. Greivis Vasquez also has ties and is an assistant in the G-League.

Finally, Steve Blake is a former player who has spent time as an assistant in the NBA and would, by his own admission, ‘love the challenge.’ Point being, Maryland has some options if it wants to say in house.

Elmore concluded his pitch by impressing upon the leadership the importance of staying close to the family. His letter ended:

“On behalf of those who gave their blood, sweat and bodies to Maryland, we ask that the University leaders ignore the shallow media exhortations and the impatient fan cries and build from within the Terp family. Since Gary’s retirement, we’ve tried the ‘big swing’ and whiffed,” he said.

“It’s time to return to fundamentals. University of Maryland people must lead the University of Maryland athletics program and lead our basketball program.”