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UK defensive metrics.

K_TIME

K_TIME

Heisman
Jan 2, 2003
18,370
25,644
113
Scoring Defense - 189 ranked (74.3 pts a game)
Rebounding Margin 103 ranked (+2 per game ....37.4 reb vs. 35 opponent reb)
Opp FG % - 73 ranked (42.5%)....


To me this is Pope's biggest downfall. He simply can't coach toughness and defense. We replaced Carr, Almonsor, Amari Williams (he was a good player), Brea, Perry, half of Jaxon Robinson, Butler....

So you plug in Aberdeen, Diabate, Jelly, Moreno, Kam, etc....and our defense didn't improve. That is hard to see us try to improve the athleticism....and we didn't get much improvement.
 
C

Coach777

All-Conference
Dec 19, 2022
461
1,147
93
The lack of improvement of fundamentals and understanding of the game throughout the season is 100% coaching. I would love to know what goes on in practices and film sessions. For me it’s hard to understand a Kentucky team being so bad on just basic basketball skills and knowledge. For someone who thought Pope was the answer I now believe we could be on the brink of a historically bad season and a nightmare for Pope. I hope I’m wrong.
 
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Ukwazoo3

Ukwazoo3

All-Conference
Jul 6, 2025
620
1,329
93
We don't ever seem to have a plan. He needs some help on the defensive coach side of things
 
AllBall

AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,361
5,548
93
Has a big man turned coach ever been successful? I mean Pope was okay as a player but it's not like he oozed ball IQ. Just seems like of all former positions a front court player doesn't equate to good coaching.
 
MegaBlue05

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
10,740
21,047
66
AllBall said:
Has a big man turned coach ever been successful? I mean Pope was okay as a player but it's not like he oozed ball IQ. Just seems like of all former positions a front court player doesn't equate to good coaching.
Click to expand...
The only one I can think of right away was former Georgetown coach John Thompson who won the 1984 title.
 
A

Anon1679859502

All-American
Jun 28, 2015
4,852
9,141
113
Pope needs to find a Larry Shyatt type. He helped Billy D win back to back titles. Might save his job after next season
 
F

FitchandMurray29

All-Conference
Dec 11, 2021
2,389
4,849
61
20MRoster said:
Likely because we "held" Iowa State to only 31 (1st half). AI is not smart enough to know that was the first half of bball IA St played w/o Jefferson all year.
Click to expand...
Possessions are valued equally. They scored at will in the second half to balance out the first half shooting woes. That game had very little impact on our stats.

Our D was 27th before the tourney and 28th after
 
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theBlues

theBlues

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2025
1,357
3,035
113
AllBall said:
Has a big man turned coach ever been successful? I mean Pope was okay as a player but it's not like he oozed ball IQ. Just seems like of all former positions a front court player doesn't equate to good coaching.
Click to expand...
There must have been some but maybe not since I'm drawing a blank. Even in the pros I can only think of Bill Russell and you can't count him since he had Bill Russell and a bunch of All-Stars playing for him. I guess Phil Jackson who was a mediocre four.
 
ChicagoCat90

ChicagoCat90

All-American
Oct 12, 2014
1,964
5,602
97
I feel like he sacrificed the offense to recruit a defensive team and ended up with neither.
 
B

bigblueinsanity (the real)

All-American
Jul 6, 2025
2,140
6,462
113
FitchandMurray29 said:
Possessions are valued equally. They scored at will in the second half to balance out the first half shooting woes. That game had very little impact on our stats.

Our D was 27th before the tourney and 28th after
Click to expand...

They did but we also gave up. I thought our defense was actually good this season when guys were engaged. We'd let our inept offense cause us to lose engagement and our defense would suffer.
 
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