BYU's Mark Pope, fresh off a 1st round loss to 11 seed Duquesne, about to be named UK coach
- Thread starter DaveChapelle
- Start date
Never won a conference title. Never won a NCAA Tournament game.
Was an assistant coach under Mark Fox, Jeff Bzdelik, and Dave Rose.
Was an assistant coach under Mark Fox, Jeff Bzdelik, and Dave Rose.
Great hire. For everyone else. lol I bet they’re having a come apart.at least they got their alum hire too.
I watched a few BYU games. I love the action they run offensively. No idea if this will work out at Kentucky but when BYU was clicking and making shots, they had some of the best offense in the country.
Will be interesting. Predicting head coach success in all sports is really difficult
Will be interesting. Predicting head coach success in all sports is really difficult
This is a bizarre hire and they could’ve hired someone more proven, but the same was said by many when HD and Scheyer were hired.
Doesn’t seem to be the “splashy” hire I’m sure kensucky fans thought they would get. Seems many top coaches are saying nope
Davis
Scheyer
Pope
Three in-family hires of inexperienced (or lightly experienced, in Pope's case) young coaches.
Bold moves for 3 of the bluest blue bloods.
It will be fun to compare them.
Scheyer
Pope
Three in-family hires of inexperienced (or lightly experienced, in Pope's case) young coaches.
Bold moves for 3 of the bluest blue bloods.
It will be fun to compare them.
I have been telling people that Kentucky hire will be someone people were not talking about. He could shock some people and have success.
Big difference there is Carolina and dook both kept guys that had already spent a lot of time on the sideline under legendary coaches who built a dynasty that they (we) wanted to keep going.
Pope is coming into a program that is gasping for air and need a major change of direction.
Davis and Scheyer were handpicked by legends and groomed for 8+ years to take over the job.
Pope was not. The best coach he worked for as an assistant was the old BYU coach.
Or he could fail. UK fans are ready to boo his introductory press conference.
I am sure biased but I think UK used to be a premier, top 3 college bb job in the nation. I don’t think it is any more. I think maybe @gunslingerdick or @gteeitup stated this but football money starts being a factor now too.
I don’t think the uk job is on the same level as: UNC, Duke, Kansas, UConn, jobs. Heck even Baylor and Bama turned it down - largely because these coaches are getting big (football aided) money to coach where expectations are WAY more rational than BBN.
The gap between what BBN thinks the uk basketball current program is - and what it really is - especially with nba pipeline cal gone - is vast, like the Grand Canyon
Funny and true. What a delusional miserable fan base. They sort of deserve the reality check that MIGHT be coming upon them.
They’re not gonna boo his press conference, they’re now getting over the initial shock and have started to rally around him. Two boosters pledged $4 million to their NIL following the announcement of his hire.
Man - I saw a vid about like this with him celebrating the anniversary of the cats 96? title team I think - which he played on? Maybe was a captain under pitino?
To each their own - and he seems to embrace it as genuine or funny. But this seems high-cringe self-unaware what a goober / gomer he is. Not sure how well this works with today’s recruits, fans, media.
All he has done is be a former UK player. He wasn't even Caliperi's long time pet assistant.
But neither Roy nor Rat-Face was close to his peak at the end. So a long time assistant while the Legend HC is declining may not be a sound bet, not if you want to dominate the sport. Those assistants did not help that Legend build what he built; they only assisted as he got weaker.
I still think it’s a top 5 school and dang best money you can get , but you nailed it when you said bbn. I think coaches run from that crap now. Money, nba, portal, parents, heck that’s why all the premium coaches are almost gone imo. Handwriting on the wall with Roy, K, Jay and others too I’d imagine.
kentucky bball and lsu football have to have the most pressure of any college jobs…auburn football is up there and their people are crazy as hell.
Roy retired four years after leading teams to back to back title game appearances and winning one…
I see your terrible takes aren’t just limited to football. At least you don’t discriminate
uk fans were tired of Cal's lack of late season success. Every year they would crow about 5* recruits, but the ones with real basketball knowledge knew they needed those kids to stick around for more that 1 year. Cal didn't seem interested in keeping them. Pope will build a team with upperclassmen and coach them, something Cal is accussed of not doing. Will the uk fans be patient? ...lol Time will tell. Pope would be smart to look back at the decisions Matt made here and try to avoid the poor ones.
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