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The latest domino of the college basketball offseason fell on Tuesday when Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams bolted for the same job at Maryland. The news of Maryland poaching Williams away from the SEC came less than 72 hours after Villanova hired former Maryland coach Kevin Willard to succeed Kyle Neptune.

Williams spent the last six seasons in College Station and guided the Texas A&M program to three consecutive berths in the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies won at least 21 games during the last four seasons. Texas A&M’s 2024-25 season ended with a loss to No. 5 seed Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last month.

With Williams heading to College Park, Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts has an opportunity to reset the basketball program (Alberts arrived in 2024 and did not hire Williams). 

One of the first calls the former Nebraska AD could make is to former Texas and Texas Tech coach Chris Beard. Beard guided Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001 this season and won at least 20 games during the first two years of his tenure in Oxford. 

‘He played us like a drum’: Inside Kevin Willard’s turbulent Maryland departure

If Texas A&M wants to stay in-state for its next coach, another name worth a phone call is Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland. The Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight this past season under McCasland’s watch.

Here are some of the top coaching candidates Texas A&M might consider to replace Williams.

Chris Beard, Ole Miss

The former Texas Tech and Texas coach is familiar with the Lone Star State. Beard helped Texas Tech reach the national title game in 2019 before leaving for the vacant job at Texas in 2021. Beard’s tenure in Austin didn’t last long, as the school fired him for cause nearly a month after he was arrested on a third-degree felony assault charge for allegedly strangling, biting and assaulting his fiancée in their home. Beard was hired at Ole Miss in 2023 and helped the program reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001. 

Beard is 280-121 in his coaching career with 12 wins in the NCAA Tournament. He comes with baggage but is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the game. 

Brad Underwood, Illinois

Underwood, who burst onto the scene with his success at Stephen F. Austin, has been at Illinois since 2017 and the program has been to the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive seasons under his watch. Illinois was on track to reach the NCAA Tournament in 2020 for the first time in Underwood’s tenure, but the Big Dance was canceled due to COVID-19. Illinois reached the Elite Eight last spring for the first time since 2005. 

Underwood is 274-128 in his Division l coaching career.

Porter Moser, Oklahoma 

Oklahoma reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Moser’s tenure this past season before getting bounced in the first round by two-time reigning national champion UConn. Before Moser arrived in Norman, Oklahoma, he helped Loyola Chicago reach the Final Four in 2008. 

Notable: Moser was an assistant coach at Texas A&M from 1996-98.

Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska

Hoiberg has been at Nebraska since 2019. The former Iowa State and Chicago Bulls coach helped Nebraska reach the NCAA Tournament last spring for the first time in a decade. The Cornhuskers won 18 games this past season and missed out on the Big Dance after losing five consecutive games to end the regular season. 

Hoiberg has a 196-164 record as a college coach. He worked under Alberts when he was the AD at Nebraska. Would he be willing to leave the Midwest region, where he’s clearly very comfortable? 

Chris Jans, Mississippi State

Jans has won at least 20 games during his first three seasons at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are coming off their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Before he arrived at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons only once (2002-05). 

Jans is an outside-the-box candidate who has familiarity with the SEC that Texas A&M could consider.

Grant McCasland, Texas Tech

McCaslad is the wild card out of this group. He is one of the fastest-rising coaches in the sport and just helped Texas Tech reach the Elite Eight. The former Arkansas State and North Texas coach was a longtime assistant at Baylor under Scott Drew and has turned the Red Raiders into one of the elite programs in the Big 12 in his short tenure. 

McCasland may say no to the job, but it’s worth making the call at minimum.