There’s a reason buzz about Buzz here is loud
Williams proved a valuable A&M assistant before excelling elsewhere as a head coach
COLLEGE STATION — Thirteen years ago and en route to his own coaching career, thenTexas A&M guard Brian Blackburn noted Buzz Williams’ copious notetaking and attention to what some might consider insignificant specifics.
“Extremely detail-oriented,” Blackburn recalled of the former A&M assistant. “He did an unbelievable job regarding preparation and knowing opponents. Keep in mind we played in an era before analytics were huge, but Buzz was a game-film analytics guy with how detailed he was.
“That made him stick out concerning scouting reports and player preparation — he was an analytics guy before analytics were popular.”
Williams is now the most popular guy associated with A&M basketball, even while leading Virginia Tech in the NCAA Tournament. The native Texan is considered the leading candidate to replace Billy Kennedy at A&M, according to multiple program insiders.
A&M fired Kennedy last week following the Aggies’ 14-18 season, and it now awaits Williams’ fate in the postseason. The fourth-seeded Hokies face 12th-seeded Saint Louis on Friday in the NCAA Tournament.
Once Williams, 46, is done with his season at Virginia Tech — and the Hokies are built to win at least a couple of games in the postseason — he’s expected to pack his bags and load up his family for College Station.
“The wide expectation among college basketball insiders is that Williams will be the next coach at Texas A&M,” national college basketball columnist Seth Davis recently said. “If Williams turns this down, a lot of folks around the sport will be quite surprised.”
In the fall of 2017 when A&M had its eyes on Jimbo Fisher at Florida State to lead the football program, SMU’s Chad Morris (now at Arkansas) was mentioned as a fallback candidate. I haven’t heard of a Plan B in case Plan Buzz falls through — that’s how confident A&M appears it will get its guy.
Why Buzz? The Van Alstyne High (north of Dallas) graduate has been quite successful since serving as an understudy to then-A&M coach Billy Gillispie from 2004-06. Williams then spent a season as New Orleans’ head coach before igniting the Marquette program with two Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament from 2011-13.
He took over at Virginia Tech, where basketball is considered an afterthought to football, and by his third year in Blacksburg had the Hokies in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. This season Virginia Tech is competing in its schoolrecord third consecutive NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies made the NCAA Tournament in six consecutive seasons under Gillispie (twice) and Mark Turgeon (four times) from 2006-11. They made the NCAA postseason twice in Kennedy’s eight seasons, which also included two Sweet 16 showings in 2016 and 2018.
Williams was asked about A&M’s reported interest last week while the Hokies competed in the ACC Tournament.
“I’ve never commented on jobs,” he said. “I don’t think that’s appropriate by our kids … I can’t control what people say. I’ve got to make sure I’m doing my best with these guys.”
Blackburn, who coaches at San Angelo’s Wall High, remembers Williams doing his best with an A&M squad in 2006 under Gillispie that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 19 years.
“He was just a grinder in terms of preparation and recruiting, he just put his nose down and did whatever it took,” said Blackburn, who lettered for the Aggies from 2005-07. “He kept everybody prepared, and he definitely had a voice in the locker room. He connected with his players, scout team players and walk-ons — guys like myself — he really made us feel valued and appreciated.
“He fulfilled his obligations and his role with the coaching staff to a tee.”
What has impressed Blackburn most about Williams’ current role as head coach, however, is his heavy involvement in the Blacksburg community. For instance, “Buzz’s Bunch,” which unites children with disabilities and allows them to “fall in love with the game of basketball,” according to the nonprofit group’s Facebook page.
“And he brings his players in for life lessons at 5:30 in the morning,” Blackburn said with a chuckle of how some things haven’t changed since Williams’ A&M tenure. “Because he still doesn’t ever sleep.”