Texas A&M's new Head Coach Buzz Williams: A profile

Texas A&M has pulled Buzz Williams away from Virginia Tech. Buzz comes off a 26-9 season in the ACC and a Sweet Sixteen appearance. A native of Greenville, Texas(hour out of Dallas), Williams returns to A&M after being an assistant from 2004-2006.

Let’s see what the Aggies have gotten themselves in their new coach

Assistant Coaching Experience

Texas-Arlington (1994-1998)

Texas A&M Kingsville (1998-1999)

Northwestern State (1999-2000)

Colorado State (2000-2004)

Texas A&M (2004-2006)

Marquette (2007-2008)

Head Coaching Experience

New Orleans (2006-2007)

After 12 years as an assistant, New Orleans gave Buzz Williams his first head coaching job. It did not go to plan. The Privateers went 14-17 and finished 9-9 in the Sun Belt. Williams quickly jumped ship to Marquette to return as an assistant coach.

Marquette (2008-2014)

Williams was hired after Tom Crean at Marquette. With a 139-69 record, Williams is the fourth winnest coach in Golden Eagle history and has a .668 winning percentage. Marquette made the NCAA tournament in every year Williams, except his last. His best team was in 2008-2009 was when they won the Big East and made the Elite Eight. Williams left Marquette for Virginia Tech after going 17-15.

Virginia Tech (2014-2019)

Heavily criticized for leaving Marquette for Virginia Tech, it took Williams awhile to get the ball rolling in Blacksburg. They finished 2-16 in conference and finished 15th in the ACC in their first year. The next three years were all the same for the Hokies. 20+ wins, 10-8 and 7th in the ACC, and a postseason tournament. In 2015-2016 they reached the NIT second round, followed by two NCAA tournament first round losses. This year, Virginia Tech finally broke through and improved. 12-6 in the ACC, they went into the NCAA tournament as a four seed. They made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunately, they ran into Zion and the Duke Blue Devils. Williams now leaves his rebuild to start a new one in College Station.

Head Coaching Accomplishments

2 Big East Regular Season Championships (2012, 2013)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2009 - An at large out of the Big East, Marquette played WAC tournament winner Utah State in the first round. Marquette won by a point and set up a date with Missouri in the Round of 32. Missouri won 83-79, ending Williams’ first season with the Golden Eagles.

2010 - Marquette again was a six seed in the 2010 tournament, but it did not go to plan. Pac 12 Washington beat the Golden Eagles 80-78.

2011 - Dropping to an 11 seed in 2011, the Golden Eagles had the roles reversed, this time facing the six seed. Upsetting Xavier by 11 in the Round of 64 and Syracuse by four in the Round of 32, Marquette was in their first Sweet Sixteen since 2003. They played the two seeded North Carolina Tar Heels and got blown out 81-63.

2012 - Winner of the Big East regular season, Marquette was the three seed in the West. BYU did not show as any kind of competition, with the Golden Eagles winning 88-68. Murray State was up next, with Marquette winning again, 62-53. Second Sweet Sixteen in as many years, they one again came up short, this time losing to Florida by double digits.

2013 - Winners of the Big East regular season again, Marquette was the three in the East. This time, their games were a little closer. A one point win against Davidson in the Round of 64 and a two point win against Butler saw the Golden Eagles squeeze into the Sweet Sixteen. Facing off with the two seed Miami, Marquette won by 10, moving on to their first Elite Eight since 2002. In the Elite Eight, they only scored 39 points, and lost to Syracuse.

2017 - Virginia Tech made the tournament for the first time under Williams in 2017 as a nine seed. Wisconsin beat the Hokies, ending their season.

2018 - The Hokies again made tournament as an eight seed. This time, they ran in to Alabama and lost a heartbreaker by three.

2019 - All the way as a four seed in this year’s tournament, Virginia Tech and the Hokies were finally making some progress. Beating Saint Louis with ease, 66-52, they moved on to 12 seeded Liberty. They won by nine, setting up their first Sweet Sixteen since 1967. They ran into the number one overall seed Duke and lost two.

Was this a good hire for Texas A&M?

An extremely good one. Buzz has proven he knows how to rebuild a program and consistently make the NCAA tournament. He has done it in a harder conference in the ACC, while Virginia has still been the best team in the state. He will have to deal with Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech and company to recruit, but should not have a real issue. A&M can only go up from here as they were one of the worst teams in the SEC this year. Give Williams a couple years to get the ground running and Texas A&M will turn into what Virginia Tech was the past three years. Middle to top tier team in conference that consistently makes the tournament, with a deep run here and there.