Players Regret, Yet Understand, Coach’s Decision

IRVINE —  The hour had passed, and after laughing and very nearly crying about 35 years in coaching, Bill Mulligan reached into his pockets and pulled out a whistle on a string and a folded piece of yellow legal paper.

“I’ve got my whistle, and the things we’re going to do,” he said, and he went off to practice for UC Irvine’s game against UC Santa Barbara in the Bren Center Saturday night.

Mulligan broke the news of his resignation to the Irvine team Wednesday in a noon meeting, three hours before practice was scheduled. By midafternoon, the team was on the court, ready to practice for the five games that remain in this season.

“I just want to win the last five games for him,” said Ricky Butler, pausing at the recollection that one of the five is against top-ranked Nevada Las Vegas. “Win four out of the last five.”

Mulligan’s announcement was news to the players, but it was not a surprise to all of them.

“I had a feeling after yesterday,” Butler said.

So did the team’s only other senior.

“He’s been real mellow,” Jeff Herdman said. “Just being around him so long, I could tell.”

The noon meeting was a short one, no more than five or 10 minutes. It began with Mulligan pointing to the board, showing the players what they would work on in practice.

“He just told us, ‘I’m resigning,’ and he told us his reasons,” Butler said.

After telling them, Mulligan left the room.

“I think he caught maybe three-quarters of them by surprise, mostly the young or the new players,” said Tim Murphy, an assistant coach. “You could just look in their faces and tell. They didn’t verbalize it. He said it, and I kind of scanned the room. It got real silent. He left, and everybody sat there maybe three or four minutes. Nobody moved. Nobody said anything.”

The players responded with sadness, and with regret.

“For me, I feel like I’m responsible,” said Butler, who is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points a game. “I played three years here, and we’ve never won. I didn’t think he’d go. I thought we’d have a good year, and he’d be back to finish his contract.”

Don May, a junior, asked to speak at the news conference announcing the resignation.

“I was recruited to come play here, and I can definitely say I’m a better person and a better player,” May said. “It’s so hard. He’s proven he’s a winner his whole life. I can’t help feeling somehow we’ve let him down. I’d like to publicly take the opportunity to thank him.”

The players also said they understood Mulligan’s decision.

“I wish he could stay, but he’s made up his mind,” said Gerald McDonald, the team’s point guard.

Herdman has been in the Irvine program four seasons, longer than any other player.

“It’s tough. I’m sad,” Herdman said. “I’ve been around Coach for so long. I’m sad to see him leave. He’s been under so much pressure, unnecessarily, I think.”

Jeff Von Lutzow, a sophomore, talked about Mulligan while stretching for practice.

“I was really sad,” Von Lutzow said. “When he said how he didn’t get to see his family grow up, I felt sorry for him. Now he wants to see his grandson grow up, and I guess it’s best that he goes. I just wish he could do both.

“This year I feel like I kind of let him down. The next five games, I’m going to bust my butt and win all five.”

MULLIGAN AT IRVINE

Season Overall Big West 1980-81 17-10 9-5, third (tie) 1981-82 23-7 10-4, second 1982-83 16-12 8-8, fifth 1983-84 19-10 14-4, second 1984-85 13-17 8-10, sixth (tie) 1985-86 17-13 12-6, second 1986-87 14-14 9-9, fourth (tie) 1987-88 16-14 9-9, fifth 1988-89 12-17 8-10, eighth 1989-90 5-23 3-15, 10th 1990-91 8-17 3-10, 10th Totals 160-154 93-90, second (best)