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Mark Pope understands there is no long-term rebuilding project at Kentucky even if the Wildcats have not been a factor in NCAA Tournament play with just one win the last four years in March Madness.
Instead, he knows it has to be a one-year project to get Kentucky back in the national championship chase this season even though UK will have an entirely new roster in its first year as UK’s coach.
“Year one is going to be what we do for the next eight weeks during the summer here, and we’re going hard. We’re going all-in. There’s no pacing ourselves during this time … We’re going to try to make these eight weeks our year one.” Pope told Fox Sports’ John Fanta.
“The reason why I think we can do it is because we got to hand-select these guys and we’re talking about a lot of fifth-year guys, and veteran guys. Even Brandon Garrison, who is younger, is a sophomore who started a year in the Big 12. We think that these guys’ growth curve is going to be way faster.”
Pope said his players were “hand-picked” based on things they had already done in their collegiate careers. That’s why he knows how important summer work is for this team to “see if we can make a massive splash in our first season here at Kentucky.”
Pope noted that building a roster via the transfer portal is not what he wants to do every year but had no choice this season after John Calipari left UK in April.
“We weren’t left with a lot of other options,” Pope said. “I think when you look at our roster, we don’t have that prototypical (No. 1) guy, but man, we have some real candidates,” Pope said. “Look at Jaxson Robinson, who came from BYU, and he would have been drafted this month if he decided to go to the draft.
“His trajectory – I’ve been really blessed to be with him for the last two years — would make your mind explode. I believe he will continue on the same path.”
20 Responses
I think there will be a few “dips and doodles” this year but we have obviously hired the the right coach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT COACH! This team will be better prepared to compete and win more than any team that Calipari had since the 39 – 1 team. That loss changed Calipari and he never recovered from it. The "dips and doodles" will get worked out before Christmas and we will head into SEC play as a team to be reckoned with. I do not see a double digit loss team and I will not be surprised if we are playing into the second weekend of the Big Dance. It will be nice to shed our One and Done reputation in the tournament and serve notice that Kentucky basketball is back!
Good comment, Barry.
Thanks Larry. I enjoy your comments too.
I agree that loss to Wisconsin should have ever happened with the team we had. After that loss Cal knew he blew it. His platoon system was stupid if a couple guys on the first platoon were on fire he would sub them out anyway. That was a NBA team and we lost to a team with 1 NBA player on the team. If we would have ran a real offense we would have beaten Wisconsin by 20.
The loss to Wisconsin was huge, but I recall the fraud’s reaction after the 2012 championship game that said it all, paraphrasing, "I Have Arrived. Nothing Else I need to Accomplish"
He was done! His one and done approach could never be sustained, and everyone watching college basketball could have understood that from the get go.
Thankfully, we once again have a UK first coach.
Oh so true! – a UK 1st coach!
We have veterans that know how to play defense.
So much better than last season!
The FF is not a stretch with the new & real coach and his hand-picked roster. The depth will demand and inspire everyone to be a team-1st player because there will be someone on the bench pumped & ready for his chance to get more minutes.
What a big combined turn of events…
•Hiring a genuine UK BB HC
•1st trip & W ever in MCWS
•UK FB loaded: QB, Walker & much more
This is a good time to be part of BBN!
Yes it is Barry!!
We are definitely better than we were last year. We lost too many games at home. That should never happen. This team will keep the house clean but also be good on the road because of experience. I think we have as good a chance as any this year. I think the bottom is 20 wins double digit losses but the ceiling could be anything. I know we have at least a sweet 16 team or better even with 20 wins we will at least go to the 2nd round. In my opinion I think we win about 25 or more games. This team is built to win.
A little sidebar to us having the right coach. The family and I were in Lexington today getting our youngest enrolled for college and decided to stop for lunch at Local Taco. Wouldn’t you know it that coach Pope was there with his wife, Collin Chandler and another young lady. We struck up a quick conversation and he was the most gracious, humble person that you could imagine. My wife asked if our son could get a picture with him. Coach Pope insisted that we ALL get in the picture with HIM taking the picture! He said how much he loves BBN and what an honor it is to be our coach. Nothing fake but all heartfelt. He introduced us to his wife, and she was just as sweet as him! We told them that we were at his introductory press conference and had goosebumps. His wife quickly said that she cried 6 times during it. I admitted that I shed a few tears too. Great coach and a phenomenal family. We are blessed to have them.
Thanks for sharing such touching moments.
Darkness has fled!
Good article and some really good comments. I’m so glad that my son invited his mother and I to Coach Popes Introductory Press Conference. Certainly much more than a Press Conference! It was a Celebration for all of BBN – Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. This coach understands BBN & his assignment. Looking forward to this season more than most years.
it sure was CU4
Really refreshing to have a new coach with new ideas and is excited to please Big Blue nation! Calipari seemed to be what was best for him not the fans or UK! Fresh start lets goooo!
I saw this article online and I thought others might be interested as I am going to by the book about the man who helped bring No. 5 to Lexington.
They Call Me Goose is a must-read for any Kentucky fan with an appetite for basketball history. Not only do you get a full breakdown of the life of a Wildcat legend, but you also get a peek into the old world of things like the Dirt Bowl, a group of basketball courts where some of the best pickup games would take place. In its time, it was essentially the Lexington version of Rucker Park.
Givens also gives his opinion on NIL (spoiler alert: he wishes it was around in his playing days), and his take on activists’ one-time push to rename Rupp Arena due to Adolph Rupp’s not-so-stellar reputation with Black people. It should be no surprise the Goose wants to always keep it Rupp Arena to preserve the school’s history, which is a strong stance from one of the first Black players to suit up for the blue and white. According to Givens, when he first met the legendary coach in Memorial Coliseum, Rupp told him, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Overall, I can quibble a bit with some areas where I thought the book dragged a bit, but overall this was an incredibly informative story told through the eyes of someone who has lived more Kentucky history than most of us will ever know. It’s not full of sex, drugs, and rock and roll like Rex Chapman’s memoir, but it gives you a chance to view the world through the eyes of an honest, decent, spiritual, friendly, humble, appreciative, and remarkable man, who just so happens to be the third on the list of all-time scorers in Kentucky basketball history.
I live in Utah, but was was born and raised in Muhlenburg county Ky. I have allways loved Ky basketball, and just love the game. I even watched Mark Pope at BYU, and had told my brother, who lives in Ky, just how good of coach Mark Pope was at BYU. Never really thinking that I would be rooting for him as our coach at Ky. What a dream come true for Coach Pope. I can’t wait to watch this group he has put together for his first year.
With all that being said, there are a lot of talent in the country, and coach Pope has his work cut out for him for sure. But when you have been a champion like coach Pope, confidence will never be lacking.
Go cats
How’s this for making a splash:
Last year, BYU led the country in 3-point attempts, shooting 32 per game for a grand total of 1088 throughout their season. That is 200 more than Kentucky’s school record, and there is good reason to think Pope is not changing his philosophy now that he coaches at his alma mater.
Kentucky released footage from the team’s first summer practice with the new head coach mic’d up. As he addressed his players, Pope said, “If every possession we get a catch-and-shoot 3, we’ll take it.”
He did not stop there. That statement came at the tail end of explaining his transition offense philosophy where he said, “Catch-and-shoot 3s, we want them in transition every time.”
Pope’s up tempo screen and move offense will probably produce more than 1,100 3 point shots this season, most likely averaging 14 made 3’s per game. No more dribbling the ball for 20 seconds and then force up a hero shot as the clock expires. There will be more fast break opportunities as well with better defense and better rebounding. This is where our depth will come through. We have enough guys to rotate to keep fresh legs on both offense and defense for the entire game. Can you say 40 minutes of hell Kentucky style?
God bless Arkansas for getting the Fraud out of Lexington!