On his first day as head coach of his alma mater, Chris Mullin made a few promises. At the top of the list was this one: St. John’s was going to make it feel like the 1980s, when Mullin was wearing short shorts, Lou Carnesecca was patrolling the sidelines and NCAA Tournament bids were frequent.

“We are going to get the program back to those days,” Mullin said on April 1, 2015.

More than three years later, he may finally be able to make good on that promise, at least for one season. There’s no excuse not to, with a loaded roster and the Big East as a whole projected for a down year.

“In Year 4, this is our most talented team, and probably the biggest thing is our experience,” Mullin said Tuesday on St. John’s media day at Carnesecca Arena. “That’s a good combination to have.”

Mullin stated the obvious, that St. John’s has the pieces intact to win after a disappointing start to his tenure. There have been limited rosters, injury problems and depth issues, all contributing to a 38-60 overall record. His first season, after inheriting just three scholarship players from former coach Steve Lavin, was expected to be the lost year it turned out to be. The season-ending knee injury last November to starting point guard Marcus LoVett Jr. significantly lowered last year’s ceiling, leading to an 0-11 start in Big East play.

“If we could waive people and trade people, we might have made some transactions, but we did it the old-fashioned way,” Mullin said. “Experience doesn’t always come in sugar and smiles. Sometimes you’ve got to deal with some adversity, which I think is probably the best thing for you.”

Mullin enters this defining season with 11 scholarship players. He has Shamorie Ponds, the likely Big East Preseason Player of the Year, returning starters Justin Simon and Marvin Clark II and blue-chip Auburn transfer Mustapha Heron. There hasn’t been a buzz like this around the program in years.

Of course, if the results don’t match the talent on paper, the finger will almost certainly be pointed at Mullin, the Hall of Fame player who was hired — despite no coaching experience — to return his alma mater to prominence.

Mullin kept his coaching staff intact despite a third straight losing season. A new athletic director, former Duke executive Mike Cragg, was brought in to, in part, elevate the program. Several additions were made to the roster, highlighted by Heron, junior college All-American L.J. Figueroa and sit-out transfers Sedee Keita (South Carolina) and Mikey Dixon (Quinnipiac).

Mullin, who usually refuses to focus beyond the present day, has even said it’s time the program takes the next step.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure. I expect to win,” Mullin said. “That’s how I approach life. … I don’t just wake up and say ‘I’m going to have a losing day.’ If you don’t think you’re going to become a winner, you’re already losing.”

The larger roster, improved talent and added experience will give Mullin the opportunity to emphasize his preferred up-tempo style of play. He plans to use pressure frequently on the defensive end, picking up full court often, and wants to see a team full of ball-movers who make the extra pass.

Clark said he sees Mullin doing less yelling, because he has mature players who know what he wants. Perhaps that’s why there wasn’t much big talk on Tuesday from St. John’s players. Mullin prefers action. It was more like quiet confidence. The Red Storm expect to win, but they have done nothing yet to warrant any accolades.

“The hype and everything is cool, but we got to back it up with winning,” Ponds said. “We know we haven’t accomplished anything.”

Mullin had an edge to him Tuesday, especially when asked about some of the criticism directed his way. The soft non-conference schedule, which includes Duke and little else of note, he said is comparable to his first three years. As long as the Johnnies win, he doesn’t believe it will hold them back.

Then there was his own coaching, and his ability to make sure the talent translates once the games begin. It remains one of the program’s biggest question marks.

“We’ll find out,” Mullin said. “That’s why we’re here.”