Do you still support Pope as Coach?

Do you still Support Pope?


  • Total voters
    262

MarkPftw

All-American
Nov 19, 2016
5,247
6,772
96
No and anyone who supports a Coach that blew a 12 point lead in less than a half and a 7 point lead in 2 minutes and then proceeds to get trashed by 19 and could have been by 30 if Iowa St. wanted to needs to have their heads examined. He did practically the same thing at Texas A&M as well. Never lead Florida for even a second for 120 minutes against Florida. Enough said. He needs to be fired or he needs to step down ASAP.
 

Pygmy Sasquatch

All-American
Mar 27, 2009
9,293
9,564
113


Somebody get us a new coach now. Pitter patter
 

theBlues

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2025
1,357
3,035
113
I hope somebody shows this poll to Eli. When 99% of the most informed fanbase in college basketball thinks the coach shouldn't be there anybody in the UK administration would be fools to ignore it.

And it is 99% or better; the one yes vote in the first 42 votes was from a tarheel fan.
 

Monday Nitro

All-American
Jul 3, 2025
4,034
6,880
112
The OP has gone full creep mode and finds happiness hiding behind his computer and trying to shame people that shows some class since he has zero.
 

Bluegrass79

Senior
May 4, 2006
395
550
61
No.

We can get a new coach and build a whole new roster and have a good team just like we did the first year with Pope.

Except with a better Coach thats not snake bit over injuries.
 

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
32,630
33,916
113
notice how 2 of the votes for yes are from a Michigan fan and a UNC fan. when its 61 to 1 for no we dont support Pope, that should be the que for UK to get him to resign
 

Zuma75

All-Conference
Mar 19, 2017
863
1,194
93
None of us wanted him from the beginning. They sold us on a dream, that clearly didn’t work. Back to not wanting him.
Never supported the hire … got behind the coach cause had no choice. But Year 2 soured me. Massive mishandling of the responsibility he was given. No confidence that he knows how to do this.
 
May 27, 2007
31,887
24,978
113
I mean , I guess I ”support” him . Hope he has a great year next year. Do I think he will? Nope .

Yeah..........I mean couldn't both things be true.

This is the same exact thing when Cal was here. The same exact thing. You can support a coach because they are currently head coach of your favorite basketball team and their success is correleated with the team's success and at the same time feel they are not the right person to move on with in the future.

Do I support Pope and hope he does well here? Of course.
Do I feel like Pope is the right guy moving forward ? No not really.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yoshukai

cat tat2

All-Conference
Oct 2, 2010
3,103
4,070
113
I wanted him to be the guy. It seems obvious that he’s not. He evaluated the players and negotiated their pay. He and his assistants coached them his way and we ended up watching bad high school basketball. IMO the Pope era is over, time to move forward.
 

Ukdaddy98

Freshman
Jan 15, 2026
29
58
13
My answer is yes, with a rather prodigious caveat.

First, full disclosure… went to UK with Mark. A truly beautiful guy and was awesome to me. I have a personal affinity for the guy.

In the end though, I loved the basketball program and school long before meeting Mark.

He must do the following:
1. Change his staff to find recruiters who are effective in this era… Brooks and Hart are not it fellas!
2. Find a GM to operate in the NIL “space”
3. Hire a defensive minded asst to teach that side of the ball bc it’s nonexistent
4. Take fewer gambles like JQ
5. Keep mouth shut and get to work
6. Avoid back luck with injuries
7. Compete for the SEC and put a 24-7 or better regular season together
8. Win sec, sec tourney or make run to regional final (one…minimum… two is successful)

This is probably too much to accomplish. It has to happen next year or UK’s hand will likely be forced.
 

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
10,740
21,047
66
I wanted him to succeed because he played here and obviously loves the place.

But I just don’t think this job is for him.

I was incensed by the hire the night it was announced, but bought in after “the endorsement” and “the Big Blue revival.” There was no other option.

Last year gave me hope. This year reality set in. The blowouts, substitution patterns and lack of recruiting have led me to sour on Mark Pope.

Today’s game was lost when he brought in Johnson, who played 2 minutes of the worst basketball I’ve seen and didn’t call timeout until ISU had erased the entire lead.

He will always be a 60-65% coach whether it’s here or in C-USA. That’s not good enough for Kentucky.

Pope will get a year 3. I don’t see a school with an outgoing AD making that move, therefore, Pope is facing is a likely lame duck season in 2026-27.

That said, I am going to support Pope and next year’s team with all I got and hope they make me eat this post with a FF run. It just doesn’t seem likely.