Sun. March 3, 2019 (2) Big East Games....

[Redmen23]

It would be a bad move to fire a guy after four years when he inherited a terrible roster and has steadily improved the team each year, especially when he's a famous alum. You give a guy in that situation the normal five years (a transition year and a full recruiting cycle) if for no other reason than to show prospective coaching candidates that you will be understanding and give them flexibility in the job. You made your bed by hiring a coach with no experience. Now lie in it.

Coaches like a good opportunity but they like security too. What would make a prospective coach worry about the latter is the thought that SJU Hall of Famer and former Dream Team member Chris Mullin had to start with garbage and still only got four years. Under those circumstances, what would an outside coach get if they started with some decent players?

Also, to head off the potential argument, coming to a mutual separation agreement is just a nice way of firing a guy, and that's how outside coaches would see it too. Steve Lavin was fired; it was just amicable.

A lot of coaches inherit terrible rosters. It's part of the job and Mullin knew that. He has not steadily improved the team each year. The team has improved in spite of him. If you watched most or all of their games during his tenure you would see that the team has improved at a less than normal rate. You would also see that he has yet to prove he can win consistently in the Big East. This year the team was picked by almost all to be a top 3 team and many believed them to have the top starting 5 in the league. They look completely helter skelter and undisciplined with little in-game adjustments anywhere to be found. There's so much more that meets the eye but this is just a sampling.

No need to lie in it. SJU can and should look for a better option.