Our offensive identity

[RunninRichie]

looks that way

butler - elite defender and big time winner
robinson - few years in pope's system
brea - elite elite shooter and scorer
oweh - budding star
williams - unicorn big man

We really haven't had a stretch 4 since Carr. That's been the biggest weakness on our teams. Carr's ability to hit the 3 at a decent clip, really opened up driving lanes for our guards. Last year we had brick layers at the 4. McBride and Ousmane are streaky at best.

 

[UKCowboys]

looks that way

butler - elite defender and big time winner
robinson - few years in pope's system
brea - elite elite shooter and scorer
oweh - budding star
williams - unicorn big man

I still contend if that team is completely healthy they were a FF team at least

 

[Catastic5]

Year 1 was Pope's best roster. Which is ironic because most people, including Matt Jones and most posters on here, loudly proclaimed that it would be the weakest roster Pope would have here. There was a topic on here earlier today that for some dumb reason got deleted by super sensitive mods that pointed this out.

It has gotten progressively worse. To me, this year's roster is the weakest Pope has had. Give me last year's backcourt with Oweh alone over our group this year. And say what you want about MoD and BG, but I'd take those dudes over N'Diaye, McBride, and whoever else. Milan is good but limited in a lot of ways.

Arrow is definitely pointing down on the program.

I’m half convinced that negative recruitment harshly affected Pope. The way other coaches act towards Pope on the court, the potshots they’ve made towards him directly or indirectly off the court; I wouldn’t be shocked if they’re not talking mad sh*t about him to recruits. They’re bullying him. And sadly, they’re probably not wrong. Coaches can see it. Recruits can see it. The man simply wasn’t made to be a cutthroat basketball coach. And at Kentucky, you won’t survive like that.

Another theory is he completely abandoned what made him successful in his first season. Instead of running after under the radar players like he did his first transfer portal, he started pushing hard on elite players and guys that do not mesh with his play style and personality. He’s massively overcorrected because of the first season’s defensive deficiencies and has become obsessed with it. Problem is, the defense hasn’t really improved. And instead of bringing in a defensive specialist, he stupidly delegated the task to Mark Fox, for some inexplicable reason.

 

[RunninRichie]

I’m half convinced that negative recruitment harshly affected Pope. The way other coaches act towards Pope on the court, the potshots they’ve made towards him directly or indirectly off the court; I wouldn’t be shocked if they’re not talking mad sh*t about him to recruits. They’re bullying him. And sadly, they’re probably not wrong. Coaches can see it. Recruits can see it. The man simply wasn’t made to be a cutthroat basketball coach. And at Kentucky, you won’t survive like that.

Another theory is he completely abandoned what made him successful in his first season. Instead of running after under the radar players like he did his first transfer portal, he started pushing hard on elite players and guys that do not mesh with his play style and personality. He’s massively overcorrected because of the first season’s defensive deficiencies and has become obsessed with it. Problem is, the defense hasn’t really improved. And instead of bringing in a defensive specialist, he stupidly delegated the task to Mark Fox, for some inexplicable reason.

Just one more year and it's over.

 

[bigblueinsanity (the real)]

I didn’t see any zoom offense last night, it looked like it was a bunch of individuals playing pick up.

We haven't run zoom since his first season. That's why we went from one of the most efficient offensive teams in the nation to whatever we have now.

Not good.

 

[Drogon]

Tonight the offensive identity is, shoot yourself in the foot.

He WOOOOOOD!!! GET YOUR ******* HEAD OUT OF YOUR ***!!!!

Just completely whiffed on a ******* block that would have given us a first down. On top of his holding penalty. He's having a terrible night.

 

[Cats_2010]

but other coaches do.......its so embarrassing when fans say stuff like this

Good lord dude, it was a joke!

 

[seccats04]

The first team never quit the second team quit in Nashville against Gonzaga and was booed rightfully so

Ohio St, Bama and UT games come to mind where we flat out quit that first year.

 

[seccats04]

looks that way

butler - elite defender and big time winner
robinson - few years in pope's system
brea - elite elite shooter and scorer
oweh - budding star
williams - unicorn big man

And that was a 12 loss team. 12+ losses again and Pope will rightfully be fired.

 

[Resignmarkpope]

I'm not sure what this team was trying to do last night, but that wasn't the offense I expected to see with this team.
Where were the back cuts or the motion sets that create wide open layups, or threes?
Last night's offense looked like pickup ball, where the goal was to just jack up threes. Any time our guys drove the ball, it was without a plan, or to try to score through 3 guys.
This offense won't work. It’s something a mid major runs against bigger teams.
My hope, is that Pope was playing possum before Tuesday night's game. I say that, because our guys didn't run the things Pope is known for offensively.
Or, maybe they just haven't worked much on offense. Not sure, but hopefully we see a better structure to the offense from here on out.

Relax guy! I’m hearing Mark Pope is out! Ad is worried about the Kentucky basketball brand! Some big donors also feel Pope is destroying the brand.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Relax guy! I’m hearing Mark Pope is out! Ad is worried about the Kentucky basketball brand! Some big donors think Mark Pope is destroying the brand.!

I hope you are right but I’m not hearing that from those donors. I know most of the major donors or friends of the major donors. They are all rightfully concerned but I’ve only heard one of them come out and say he’s ready to end the Pope experiment. And he’s the only one I know of that’s withholding donations to the school and not participating in NIL.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

I hope you are right but I’m not hearing that from those donors. I know most of the major donors or friends of the major donors. They are all rightfully concerned but I’ve only heard one of them come out and say he’s ready to end the Pope experiment. And he’s the only one I know of that’s withholding donations to the school and not participating in NIL.

Some how, the dumbest moron on this board knows all the major donors. An idiot that responds to ResignMarkPope like he’s a normal person and proves his stupidity daily not only knows these ultra successful people but they “tell him stuff”. lol.

 

[ala_kat2]

I'm not sure what this team was trying to do last night, but that wasn't the offense I expected to see with this team.
Where were the back cuts or the motion sets that create wide open layups, or threes?
Last night's offense looked like pickup ball, where the goal was to just jack up threes. Any time our guys drove the ball, it was without a plan, or to try to score through 3 guys.
This offense won't work. It’s something a mid major runs against bigger teams.
My hope, is that Pope was playing possum before Tuesday night's game. I say that, because our guys didn't run the things Pope is known for offensively.
Or, maybe they just haven't worked much on offense. Not sure, but hopefully we see a better structure to the offense from here on out.

I think JSU was too quick and whatever we were trying to run just wasn’t working. Teams will pick up on this ( if they haven’t already) and Momcilovic will struggle to get open looks. Seems our only offense that works is striking early in transition, otherwise we’re in trouble.