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Add Ben McCollum to the list of HC's to replace Pope next off-season.

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Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,840
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Ben McCollum won 4 division 2 national championships.

He moved to Drake and coached them for 1 season. 1 season. He didn't have 3 seasons to build the roster. He was there 1 year. He went 31-4. He won an NCAA tournament game and made the round of 32.

He moved to Iowa this season. 1 season in Iowa. He's now made a Sweet 16 in his 1st season. He beat Florida this year (something Mark Pope couldn't do with 3 tries).

The dude is a winner. He's done it at D2, Drake, and now Iowa. He would kill it at a Blue blood school.
 
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Hopmix

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Cats192 said:
Ben McCollum won 4 division 2 national championships.

He moved to Drake and coached them for 1 season. 1 season. He didn't have 3 seasons to build the roster. He was there 1 year. He went 31-4. He won an NCAA tournament game and made the round of 32.

He moved to Iowa this season. 1 season in Iowa. He's now made a Sweet 16 in his 1st season. He beat Florida this year (something Mark Pope couldn't do with 3 tries).

The dude is a winner. He's done it at D2, Drake, and now Iowa. He would kill it at a Blue blood school.
Click to expand...
And he cannot win at Kentucky. The job is way too big for him.
 
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Dward13

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I doubt he leaves Iowa. Look at where he was born and where he’s spent his entire career.

There were other D2 jobs that came calling according to people that supposedly know (cough cough trilly donovan cough cough) and he turned them down holding out for something closer to home. Which was Drake.

And now he Is home. coaching in Iowa City where he was born and raised.

I don’t see him leaving for another job. JMO.
 
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theBlues

theBlues

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Tri-Countycat said:
But is he Mormon?
Click to expand...
While church denomination doesn't matter I firmly believe a coach was never considered by Barnhart if:

1. He wasn't married.
2. If he'd ever been divorced.
3. If he'd ever had an NCAA violation or been involved in any kind of scandal.
4. If he drank ever at all.
5. If he wasn't public about being religious.

It doesn't seem to me that there were any required qualifications not listed above.
 
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Tri-Countycat

Tri-Countycat

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theBlues said:
While church denomination doesn't matter I firmly believe a coach was never considered by Barnhart if:

1. He wasn't married.
2. If he'd ever been divorced.
3. If he'd ever had an NCAA violation or been involved in any kind of scandal.
4. If he drank ever at all.
5. If he wasn't public about being religious.

It doesn't seem to me that there were any required qualifications not listed above.
Click to expand...
This was Mitch’s fault but word around Lexington who know JP Blevins well, he was 100% on the search committee, says this was on Mark Hill, a big wig in the Latter Day Saints and his kids went to BYU. They knew Pope and he convinced Mitch with the help of Sheppard. JP Blevins and most others on the search committee were totally against hiring Pope.
 
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AllBall

AllBall

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Cats192 said:
Ben McCollum won 4 division 2 national championships.

He moved to Drake and coached them for 1 season. 1 season. He didn't have 3 seasons to build the roster. He was there 1 year. He went 31-4. He won an NCAA tournament game and made the round of 32.

He moved to Iowa this season. 1 season in Iowa. He's now made a Sweet 16 in his 1st season. He beat Florida this year (something Mark Pope couldn't do with 3 tries).

The dude is a winner. He's done it at D2, Drake, and now Iowa. He would kill it at a Blue blood school.
Click to expand...
He landed Folgueiras and Stirtz.
 
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AllBall

AllBall

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theBlues said:
While church denomination doesn't matter I firmly believe a coach was never considered by Barnhart if:

1. He wasn't married.
2. If he'd ever been divorced.
3. If he'd ever had an NCAA violation or been involved in any kind of scandal.
4. If he drank ever at all.
5. If he wasn't public about being religious.

It doesn't seem to me that there were any required qualifications not listed above.
Click to expand...
We need a coach not the Pope. Wait a minute, I think Barnhart took that saying seriously 😳
 
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JustBlue

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Tri-Countycat said:
This was Mitch’s fault but word around Lexington who know JP Blevins well, he was 100% on the search committee, says this was on Mark Hill, a big wig in the Latter Day Saints and his kids went to BYU. They knew Pope and he convinced Mitch with the help of Sheppard. JP Blevins and most others on the search committee were totally against hiring Pope.
Click to expand...

Marc Hill is a frontrunner to be our next AD.
 
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Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
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bbnkat02 said:
Pope beat Kansas at BYU with BYU resources. See how that's working out for us?
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You're ignoring 90% of the post.

Pope didn't beat them in a tournament. He hadn't won a tournament game before taking the Kentucky job.

McCollum just won 2 NCAA tournament games in his 1st season in the B10--after winning a game at Drake just last year.

He's got a far better resume than Pope had coming into this. The 2 aren't comparable.
 
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Tri-Countycat

Tri-Countycat

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Popes last season at BYU before being hired as UK coach, you can’t make this **** up. Yea he beat Kansas but look at
The losses.
  • Jan 6 — vs Cincinnati — L 60–71
  • Jan 9 — at Baylor — L 72–81
  • Jan 13 — at UCF — W
  • Jan 16 — vs Iowa State — W
  • Jan 20 — at Texas Tech — L
  • Jan 23 — vs Houston — L
  • Jan 27 — vs Texas — W
  • Feb 3 — at West Virginia — W
  • Feb 6 — at Oklahoma — L
  • Feb 10 — vs Kansas State — W
  • Feb 13 — vs UCF — W
  • Feb 17 — at Oklahoma State — W
  • Feb 20 — vs Baylor — W
  • Feb 24 — at Kansas State — L
  • Feb 27 — at Kansas — W
  • Mar 2 — vs TCU — W
  • Mar 6 — at Iowa State — L
  • Mar 9 — vs Oklahoma State — W







👉 Big 12 record: 10–8
 
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bbnkat02

bbnkat02

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Cats192 said:
You're ignoring 90% of the post.

Pope didn't beat them in a tournament. He hadn't won a tournament game before taking the Kentucky job.

McCollum just won 2 NCAA tournament games in his 1st season in the B10--after winning a game at Drake just last year.

He's got a far better resume than Pope had coming into this. The 2 aren't comparable.
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My point is we gotta stop doing this crap. Shoot, a couple of people were drooling over Miami (OH)'s coach. And then they got ***** slapped.

We have do to better than Pope, but this "I want that dude" after they win a couple of tourney games is a joke.
 
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U

Ukbrassowtipin

Heisman
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No

I get pope is in over his head, but the flavor of the week stuff is absurd.

All of you would've cried a river if Golden was hired based on his resume pre florida, and the same for Hurley.

In two weeks, a ton of you will be calling for calipari back based on his post season
 
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ZaytovenCat

ZaytovenCat

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Hell no on this dude. This next coach absolutely can’t be another “maybe” good hire. If it’s not a sure fire homerun then just shut the program down because we are officially with IU and UCLA as former bluebloods.

People like this dude, Iowa States coach, May or Hoiberg better not even get called until Hurley, Oates, Lloyd and maybe Golden have all turned it down… twice.
 
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Amonbundy76

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theBlues said:
While church denomination doesn't matter I firmly believe a coach was never considered by Barnhart if:

1. He wasn't married.
2. If he'd ever been divorced.
3. If he'd ever had an NCAA violation or been involved in any kind of scandal.
4. If he drank ever at all.
5. If he wasn't public about being religious.

It doesn't seem to me that there were any required qualifications not listed above.
Click to expand...
Every one of those things is gonna make you a better coach it's just not the case with pope
 
S

SkyPrince

Senior
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Nothing about McCollum screams Kentucky head coach.
He has nothing in common with Hall,Sutton, Pitino, Cal etc
The way he has ran his programs, the players he's had, his personality are the antithesis of UK basketball.
The reason he took the jobs at Drake and Iowa is that they will let him be who he is and coach his brand of basketball that doesn't rely on top talent like UK is used to.
22 mil would be useless to a guy like BM because he has no desire to coach the Stokes of the world.
The UK program would never let him be himself and I'm sure he knows that..
 
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Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
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ZaytovenCat said:
Hell no on this dude. This next coach absolutely can’t be another “maybe” good hire. If it’s not a sure fire homerun then just shut the program down because we are officially with IU and UCLA as former bluebloods.

People like this dude, Iowa States coach, May or Hoiberg better not even get called until Hurley, Oates, Lloyd and maybe Golden have all turned it down… twice.
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Hurley turned it down last cycle. He's in another Sweet 16 with UCONN right now.

I think we can safely assume he isn't taking the job.

"Make him say no" is a cute catch phrase. Once they've actually said no, we don't have to keep making them say it.
 
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AllBall

AllBall

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Dward13 said:
Stirtz has been with him since D2. Followed him from NW Missouri State to Drake and from Drake to Iowa.

It’s absolutely nuts to me that McCollum knocked off the defending champs with a D2 roster essentially.
Click to expand...
He still landed him lol
 
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Hush4872

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Tri-Countycat said:
This was Mitch’s fault but word around Lexington who know JP Blevins well, he was 100% on the search committee, says this was on Mark Hill, a big wig in the Latter Day Saints and his kids went to BYU. They knew Pope and he convinced Mitch with the help of Sheppard. JP Blevins and most others on the search committee were totally against hiring Pope.
Click to expand...
That's incredibly concerning since Hill is probably going to be our next AD.
 
D

Dward13

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bbnkat02 said:
My point is we gotta stop doing this crap. Shoot, a couple of people were drooling over Miami (OH)'s coach. And then they got ***** slapped.

We have do to better than Pope, but this "I want that dude" after they win a couple of tourney games is a joke.
Click to expand...

I agree with you but McCollum is more than just a few tourney wins. He won 4 d2 titles, which is tied for second all time among coaches, before he was 40 years old. And probably gets a 5th if not for covid.

He had 1 of only 9 i think, undefeated seasons in D2 history. And in the covid cancelled year theg had 1 loss.

I wanted him 2 years ago. His offensive and defensivie principles and style of teaching the game are similar to Hurley only hes not rhe lunatic on the sideline that Hurley is. He’s actually likeable.

Probably doesn’t matter now though. Like i’ve posted above, theres a very good chance he doesn’t want to leave Iowa. He’s a family guy and he’s now making millions to coach the team he likely grew up rooting for.
 
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wildcatdon

Heisman
Oct 17, 2012
10,323
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Cats192 said:
Ben McCollum won 4 division 2 national championships.

He moved to Drake and coached them for 1 season. 1 season. He didn't have 3 seasons to build the roster. He was there 1 year. He went 31-4. He won an NCAA tournament game and made the round of 32.

He moved to Iowa this season. 1 season in Iowa. He's now made a Sweet 16 in his 1st season. He beat Florida this year (something Mark Pope couldn't do with 3 tries).

The dude is a winner. He's done it at D2, Drake, and now Iowa. He would kill it at a Blue blood school.
Click to expand...
I wrote Mitch a note touting this guy after Cal left. A winner and heck of a coach. Probably was never considered.
 
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Cowtown Cat

Cowtown Cat

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Aug 23, 2015
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Tri-Countycat said:
This was Mitch’s fault but word around Lexington who know JP Blevins well, he was 100% on the search committee, says this was on Mark Hill, a big wig in the Latter Day Saints and his kids went to BYU. They knew Pope and he convinced Mitch with the help of Sheppard. JP Blevins and most others on the search committee were totally against hiring Pope.
Click to expand...
Can you clean this up a little? Tough to decipher what you’re saying. Lol
 
Tri-Countycat

Tri-Countycat

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Cowtown Cat said:
Can you clean this up a little? Tough to decipher what you’re saying. Lol
Click to expand...
True, this was late.

Mitch is ultimately responsible because he is AD.
One of my best friends is a UK player and he played with JP Blevins.
JP was on the hiring committee.
JP didn’t want Pope and the other didn’t either minus Sheppard.
Mark Hill has been at UK for 26 years and is Mitch’s right hand.
Hill is big in the Mormon church, was friends with Pope. Hills kids went to school in Utah, stayed close with Pope.
After Drew and Hurley said no, Hill persuaded Mitch to turn to Pope.
Not sure if any other interviews happened, Donovan was talked to by JP, but nothing formal. Oats was never talked to by UK.
 
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Cowtown Cat

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
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Tri-Countycat said:
True, this was late.

Mitch is ultimately responsible because he is AD.
One of my best friends is a UK player and he played with JP Blevins.
JP was on the hiring committee.
JP didn’t want Pope and the other didn’t either minus Sheppard.
Mark Hill has been at UK for 26 years and is Mitch’s right hand.
Hill is big in the Mormon church, was friends with Pope. Hills kids went to school in Utah, stayed close with Pope.
After Drew and Hurley said no, Hill persuaded Mitch to turn to Pope.
Not sure if any other interviews happened, Donovan was talked to by JP, but nothing formal. Oats was never talked to by UK.
Click to expand...
Just so we’re clear, I wasn’t busting your balls there. I genuinely was curious what you were trying to say.
 
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*Fox2Monk*

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
44,707
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Cats192 said:
Ben McCollum won 4 division 2 national championships.

He moved to Drake and coached them for 1 season. 1 season. He didn't have 3 seasons to build the roster. He was there 1 year. He went 31-4. He won an NCAA tournament game and made the round of 32.

He moved to Iowa this season. 1 season in Iowa. He's now made a Sweet 16 in his 1st season. He beat Florida this year (something Mark Pope couldn't do with 3 tries).

The dude is a winner. He's done it at D2, Drake, and now Iowa. He would kill it at a Blue blood school.
Click to expand...
He’s a damn fine coach, I’d love to see what he could do at a school like ours with legit NIL and a recruiting staff.
 
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*Fox2Monk*

*Fox2Monk*

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Dward13 said:
I doubt he leaves Iowa. Look at where he was born and where he’s spent his entire career.

There were other D2 jobs that came calling according to people that supposedly know (cough cough trilly donovan cough cough) and he turned them down holding out for something closer to home. Which was Drake.

And now he Is home. coaching in Iowa City where he was born and raised.

I don’t see him leaving for another job. JMO.
Click to expand...
He may not but he also hasn’t had a blue blood offer yet. People that are competitive want to see if they can win in the biggest stages. We have no idea if that’s him or not, I’d probably say he stays home but who knows. You have to try and get a guy like him though when you have a coaching search.
 
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