Villanova coaching search: Pete Thamel lists Porter Moser as candidate if Kevin Willard falls through

The coaching carousel is spinning in college basketball amid the NCAA Tournament drama taking place this weekend. One of the larger dominos analysts, fans and coaches alike are waiting to see fall is the Villanova Wildcats.

At the moment, it seems Kevin Willard of Maryland is destined for the gig. However, ESPN’s Pete Thamel added some context that might intrigue Oklahoma fans — Sooners leader Porter Moser is an option if Willard falls through for Villanova. Additionally, the Terrapins of the Big Ten are expected to reach out to Moser if Willard does in fact jet for the Big East. A lot of moving parts, it seems.

“A decision for Kevin Willard is imminent here,” Thamel stated, via College GameDay on Saturday. “It’s pretty simple, Villanova has stalled their search to wait for Kevin Willard. He’s gotten through, obviously, the Sweet 16 after Maryland lost. They flew back yesterday from San Francisco, landed about 7 p.m. and Villanova has kept things tight. Maryland has obviously made it clear that they want Kevin Willard too. Kevin Willard is the favorite to go to Villanova, but it’s simply put — he needs to make a decision here, either way, fairly soon. I’ve been told, at least in the next 48 hours, we will have some clarity from Kevin Willard on where he will go.

“For Villanova, it’s pretty simple — Kevin Willard was a successful coach at Seton Hall, which is one of the worst Big East jobs. He had seven-straight winning seasons in league play to conclude his time at Seton Hall. He’s led teams to seven different NCAA tournaments. He’s an accomplished guy. He fits in the Northeast Corridor. If Kevin Willard decides to stay at Maryland, and again, he mentioned that he does not have an athletic director that he knows, the next candidate up is believed to be Porter Moser of Oklahoma.

“It’s an interesting name, because he would likely be on Maryland’s list if they have a job search. Maryland has not stayed flat-footed. They have started to prepare for Kevin Willard’s departure. They’re hoping to keep him, and we will know in the near future where he decides.”

All told, there’s been smoke surrounding Moser and vacant jobs before, but he’s stayed at Oklahoma through thick and thin. The Sooners got off to a roaring start this past season, but they tumbled a bit down the stretch in SEC play. Then, they were disposed of by the Connecticut Huskies in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, after making it to the dance as a No. 9-seed.

It seems as if Porter Moser will have to wait to see what Kevin Willard chooses, before figuring out his future. Whether it’s staying at Oklahoma, heading to Villanova or even Maryland, there’s a bunch of moving parts that the Sooners are dealing with at the moment, as long as you take Pete Thamel at his word.