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Rumblings on SIU board that Mullins maybe out at SIU after this season. His contract is up next year and he has a very small buyout. SIU’s Chancellor is very much involved in athletics and rumor is he is driving the bus to get a new coach. At this point only internet rumors information will certainly come out at the Valley Tournament.

Really? SIU was a win away from a top 4 finish in a year they were projected to finish way below that. Seems like Mullins was figuring some things out.

Who would they get that fits the school better?

There will always be rumblings at SIU to replace a coach. I do think Mullins had a good season based upon what the preseason prognosticators expected SIU to finish, but I don't think anyone expected Xavier Johnson to be the player he was this year either.

IMO, with X, it seems SIU should have fared better than they did this season. There were some extremely disappointing losses after blowing huge leads this year, and let's face it, the Murray State W was lucky. If Mullins stays, fine; if he goes, fine. I can see both sides with him at the lead.

I know that Marcus Domask had a great career at SIU, and I didn't expect him to stay, but when you see what he is doing at Illinois this season it makes me wonder if he was even used correctly at SIU. Should they have gotten more out of him?

I think these parts put Mullins into a tough predicament.

I would be very surprised if SIU fired him after this season. I could see next season if they have a bottom half finish, but doing it after this year would be really surprising. They're 113 in NET, which is good in this era of college basketball.

I had not been overly impressed with Mullins , but thought this year was by far his best coaching job. But overall his 5 years look alot like Ford's 6; just as when Ford had Prim/Mosley , last year was the year Mullins needed to win big and he came up just short. Is he a good fit at SIU, definitely; can they do better, probably. But it also seems like given the surprise of this year, they ought to go another 1 and see.

SIU board is implying the Chancellor is gunning for long-time Buzz Williams assistant Devin Johnson. Far as I can tell, all of his roots are southern, outside of a couple years at Marquette a decade ago. No head coach experience.

This seems like a very risky hire to me. I'd just run another year with Mullins and see if he makes further progress developing like he did this year.

SIU apparently had an obsession with restarting eve try 5 years and saying “we haven’t been in the tournament for x years”. I’m sure we will all enjoy 11th next year with a new team and program. Ignore the highest NET we’ve ever had. Ignore the attendance being at an all time high since 2008. I don’t like this one bit. I kind of get the argument, but I hate this.

Kyle_Saluki_17 wrote:SIU apparently had an obsession with restarting eve try 5 years and saying “we haven’t been in the tournament for x years”. I’m sure we will all enjoy 11th next year with a new team and program. Ignore the highest NET we’ve ever had. Ignore the attendance being at an all time high since 2008. I don’t like this one bit. I kind of get the argument, but I hate this.

When was the last time an SIU coach got five years or less? Last I checked it was Van Winkle who got in hot water with the NCAA. I’m not counting guys who left like Weber or Painter obviously, but Lowery was here from 2004 to 2012. Hinson 2012 to 2019. Herrin was here from 1985 to 1999, thirteen seasons. The pattern here is that SIU has given lots of time to head coaches. I’d give Mullins one more season myself but the whole “five year cycle” thing has absolutely no evidence to back it up. If Mullins is relieved of duties it would be the first time a coach was dismissed in five years or less here since Van Winkle.

Maybe the chancellor is on to something. You can't lose to UIC in the 1st Round at St. Louis. Embarrassing!