Curious to see what non-SJ fans think

[ChestRockwell85]

PS - Yes, I realize Jay has brought in some highly rated recruits but guys like Booth, Hart, Jenkins, Bridges, Donte DiVencenzo, even Sadiq Bey who is starting as a freshman were all guys ranked in the 75-125 range. Guys like Dante Cunningham and Darrun Hilliard were 3 star guys who were not even ranked in the Top 150, both those guys ended up being drafted.

That is my point, you don't need the McDonald's All-Americans to build a strong program. Quite frankly give me a 4 star guy who is gonna stick around 3 or 4 years over a Top 20 one and done EVERY day of the week. Except maybe if it is Zion. Ha!

[NJRedman]

There are major issues with us becoming "Transfer U":

1. Transfers were unhappy once, so it's very possible they will be unhappy again. And yes, they absolutely will transfer. Just look at Dixon from a couple weeks ago. Look at Owens from last year (didn't even return as a STARTER). Will Simon stay after this year, or go elsewhere and be immediately eligible as a grad (like Owens)? It's rare for us to keep a transfer for more than 1 year, yet they spend 1 year on the bench.
2. High impact immediately eligible transfers, like Heron, are extremely rare. Can't count on players like him as a yearly recruiting strategy.
3. Transfers are easy to recruit, as they take FAR less time than high school students. Staff only needs to be on them for a few weeks/days. That's the big problem, we're NOT recruiting high school students to the extent we should be. We're taking the easy route. Matt is the only one who goes all out. Mullin, Mitch, and GSJ do a mediocre job.

Why do we keep having only 5/6 BE caliber players each year? It's a combination of too many transfers and a lack of HS recruiting.

I like transfers being a big part of our team, but having them be the MAIN part is simply not going to work long term.

Well it hasn't been long term so you don't know that. You pointed out 2 transfers out of how many? 12?

I believe out of "12" or however many transfers we've had under 4 years of Mullin, we've only had two players play for more than 1 year. Clark and Simon have both stayed 2 years. Clark will be gone after the year while Simon has the option to grad transfer. That isn't good, but you're right in that it's a small sample.

All my other points are valid, though. We currently have no depth, and that is in large part due to losing two transfers for the year (who both just happen to be transfers themselves). It is also due to having 2-4 future transfers sit out every year, taking up scholarships.

There's a reason we're playing the transfer game so hard and nobody else is- it's because other teams have coaches that put in significantly more effort recruiting. If it were a great strategy and superior to high school recruiting, I'm sure at least another coach or two would've thought of it by now.

This year we are starting 3 transfers (Simon, Clark, Heron). While they have been our best 3 transfers to date, I'd bet that none of them will return next year.

All I'm saying is we need to put in more effort recruiting high school students too.

And how many graduated thats why they stayed one year?

Oh and Clark is a senior so hes me not.

[adoraz]

Well it hasn't been long term so you don't know that. You pointed out 2 transfers out of how many? 12?

I believe out of "12" or however many transfers we've had under 4 years of Mullin, we've only had two players play for more than 1 year. Clark and Simon have both stayed 2 years. Clark will be gone after the year while Simon has the option to grad transfer. That isn't good, but you're right in that it's a small sample.

All my other points are valid, though. We currently have no depth, and that is in large part due to losing two transfers for the year (who both just happen to be transfers themselves). It is also due to having 2-4 future transfers sit out every year, taking up scholarships.

There's a reason we're playing the transfer game so hard and nobody else is- it's because other teams have coaches that put in significantly more effort recruiting. If it were a great strategy and superior to high school recruiting, I'm sure at least another coach or two would've thought of it by now.

This year we are starting 3 transfers (Simon, Clark, Heron). While they have been our best 3 transfers to date, I'd bet that none of them will return next year.

All I'm saying is we need to put in more effort recruiting high school students too.

And how many graduated thats why they stayed one year?

Oh and Clark is a senior so hes me not.

Several, and that's exactly the problem. Getting a player knowing that they will only be on the team for a year, or at best 2, is not a good way to build a team long term. When was the last time a team filled with transfers made noise in March? Generally teams need a couple years together to gel. Transfers should be used to fill holes rather than the majority of a roster. High school kids all have 4 years eligibility, while transfers have anywhere from 1-3.

Next year we very possibly could have just one starter (LJ) return. We need more players like Ponds who can stay for 3+ years. Williams is nice and should develop, but I'd like more players like that.

[Omaha1]

Mullin is still learning to be a coach. Tough to be asked to train on the job in the BE. SJU would be wise to find a coach with some experience the next time around.

[ProprietyofLeyluken]

Mullin is still learning to be a coach. Tough to be asked to train on the job in the BE. SJU would be wise to find a coach with some experience the next time around.

I like the guy.
I think Mullin will be ok with time.
That being said, perhaps StJohns should wait for Shaka Smart to hit the market.
Shaka has proven to win with the level of talent that StJohns can get.

[SJUBBALL]

Mullin is still learning to be a coach. Tough to be asked to train on the job in the BE. SJU would be wise to find a coach with some experience the next time around.

I like the guy.
I think Mullin will be ok with time.
That being said, perhaps StJohns should wait for Shaka Smart to hit the market.
Shaka has proven to win with the level of talent that StJohns can get.

You think Shaka would settle for SJU? I don’t see that happening.

[adoraz]

Yeah we'll most likely lose the next 3, which I'm fine with honestly, it's time to move on. I haven't liked our staff the past couple years, but I wanted to give them benefit of the doubt once again since we started off strong. This coaching staff sucks and has for 4 years now. We clearly over-performed OOC, as evident by all the close wins against decent competition, but our luck has run out.

We're not making the Tournament (barring a surprise), it's time to start thinking about our next coach. We'd be much better off in the future with a staff that puts in the effort to win in the Big East.

Mullin, GSJ, and Mitch have never put in the effort to win at this level, even with their backs against the wall, and they obviously never will.

[Redmen23]

Mullin clearly cannot coach. He needs to gracefully step down and let a real coach (like Nate Oats at Buffalo) and take this team to the next level.

This team is quickly unraveling and SJU is looking NIT bound right now. The only way Chris Mullin has any chance of turning this thing around is if he hires a great X's and O's guy as his bench coach. That is the ONLY way. He makes enough money to give a guy $500K/year to be his top asst.

It's all on Mullin now. I'd fire him and get a real grinder, experience sideline coach. He's clearly failed at what he came here to do. Another year, another NCAA miss is coming.

[MullinMayhem]

Mullin is now 32 games BELOW .500 to this point in his 4th year in conference play. And people wonder why we are so angry. Mullin was a great player and a terrible coach. Time to get a real staff and move on.

[stever20]

saw this from twitter:
Zach Braziller
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Think about it. How many complete games has St. John's played? Like 4? maybe 5? Maybe a few early losses against better competition would've helped. I get a sense of entitltlement from this team, like they think they're better than they are.