Updates on Freeman and Wilkins

Tri-Countycat

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
1,712
4,212
113
Did we overpay for Zoom and having a hard time closing on anyone else. As a fan of UK for over 50 years our lack of recruiting the past 2 years is astonishing. Mitch and Pope should answer the questions about UK’s recruiting failures.
Mitch isn’t gonna answer for Jack. He is hiding in a closet just waiting for this to be over and hoping his legacy isnt completely tied to Pope.
 

rick64

Heisman
Jan 25, 2007
24,901
34,513
113
Pope didn't sign his first player until like April 21 when he was first hired.

But as others have stated this is effing UK, not some shlep D1 school. Just the fact that Pope seems to have such a hard time closing the deal is cause for concern. He's got to know he needs to deliver this season or he won't get a 4th.
 

exo6desmo

Junior
Mar 25, 2026
204
333
63
If this portal cycle has shown anything it’s shown that nobody that posts on here or Twitter or wherever actually have any “sources”. They all just read other people’s stuff or Trilly and just use it as their own.
I wouldn't go that far. I posted that Wright was going back to BYU hours before the story broke. I know Kevin Young's cousin. I got that info from an unusual place and it's the only real info I'll probably ever have. But my info was legit and was proven accurate.
 

Catman100

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
7,037
10,504
96
It's all about the coach, and Pope has not given these recruits a reason to want to play for HIM.
If it's all about the money, then any team in the country with money is solid competition with UK.
Unfortunately, I think we have reached an era where we are going to miss a lot more than hit.
 

gtown965

All-Conference
Feb 12, 2026
473
1,330
93
I’m not convinced that Pope is gonna survive the summer. These boosters are watching this in real time like we are, I’ve never in my life ever witnessed what we are seeing at “any” school.
The portal hasn’t even closed yet and even when it does, there’s still plenty of time remaining . People are just going to have to be patient and understand the new dynamics in recruiting now. Agents control the game. They dictate the pace.
 
Last edited:

ScWildcat3

Senior
Sep 27, 2005
449
701
93
I wouldn't go that far. I posted that Wright was going back to BYU hours before the story broke. I know Kevin Young's cousin. I got that info from an unusual place and it's the only real info I'll probably ever have. But my info was legit and was proven accurate.
It wa obvious from the start he was going back to byu if anyone paid attention. Osu St. John’s and Louisville all moved on from him immediately. Pope for some reason thought he had a shot and he didn’t. U might know his cousin but I’m talking about these people Who claim to have sources for every recruit and stuff. It’s hilarious. I find it more believable that someone knows 1 or 2 guys or ppl around them. There is a lot of people on here from all over. I knew Caleb holt was never coming to uk from a former teammate and his family. He loved pope but hated our system. We was never considered when Jack and ksr kept saying we were in the top with bama and zona
 

BellyBall

Junior
Jul 18, 2020
152
358
63
Mitch isn’t gonna answer for Jack. He is hiding in a closet just waiting for this to be over and hoping his legacy isnt completely tied to Pope.
Plenty of other anchors to drag his legacy down. IMO, his legacy is of a sub-par AD. We can only judge him vs. other SEC AD's once the money exploded. I can't compare him to the past UK AD's it's apples and oranges.
 

exo6desmo

Junior
Mar 25, 2026
204
333
63
It wa obvious from the start he was going back to byu if anyone paid attention. Osu St. John’s and Louisville all moved on from him immediately. Pope for some reason thought he had a shot and he didn’t. U might know his cousin but I’m talking about these people Who claim to have sources for every recruit and stuff. It’s hilarious. I find it more believable that someone knows 1 or 2 guys or ppl around them. There is a lot of people on here from all over. I knew Caleb holt was never coming to uk from a former teammate and his family. He loved pope but hated our system. We was never considered when Jack and ksr kept saying we were in the top with bama and zona
I agree that our supposed paid insiders are absolutely clueless. If a random dude like me can get an occasional scoop, you'd think they could. Nope. They are consistently wrong about everything. The KSR crew gets skunked on everything. Poor Polachick and Pilgrim don't know as much as the casual reader of this board would know. And they make a living doing this lol. They should be able to literally guess and do better than that.
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
466
622
93
I’m not convinced that Pope is gonna survive the summer. These boosters are watching this in real time like we are, I’ve never in my life ever witnessed what we are seeing at “any” school.
There is literally no school doing anything close to what UK is doing. It wreaks of desperation.

He'd survive the summer because there really is no solution going into next year. No coach is taking this job post portal. Like I said in a previous post, need to hire a search firm to start the process discretely, reach out to agents of coaches. So many good coaches turned down UNC, so there is no point in revisiting that pool. Coaches like McCollum.

Easy solution would be Donovan, looks like that hasn't closed yet. No settled successful P5 coach is coming.

I might start with little Pitino, St Louis coach, Byington.
 

UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
4,096
7,267
113
There is literally no school doing anything close to what UK is doing. It wreaks of desperation.

He'd survive the summer because there really is no solution going into next year. No coach is taking this job post portal. Like I said in a previous post, need to hire a search firm to start the process discretely, reach out to agents of coaches. So many good coaches turned down UNC, so there is no point in revisiting that pool. Coaches like McCollum.

Easy solution would be Donovan, looks like that hasn't closed yet. No settled successful P5 coach is coming.

I might start with little Pitino, St Louis coach, Byington.
Pitino Jr....Brother please. 262-204. Don't get worse than Pope
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
466
622
93
Pitino Jr....Brother please. 262-204. Don't get worse than Pope
Guy took a 13-19 NM team and turned it into an instant winner. Found/developed kids like Donovan Dent and JT Toppin - both better college players than UK has had in ages. He started his career at bottom dweller Minnesota - no one is turning that program into a winner.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedwoodHigh

Anon1730326584

Sophomore
Oct 30, 2024
126
158
43
Alabama is likely pitching Wilkins to take over the Philon role, while we're asking him to play off-ball in an offense that frequently runs through the center. What would you choose?

The longer this plays out the worse it is for us.
Alabama is not really a player now
 

mdluk1

All-Conference
Oct 28, 2007
1,064
4,649
113
Guy took a 13-19 NM team and turned it into an instant winner. Found/developed kids like Donovan Dent and JT Toppin - both better college players than UK has had in ages. He started his career at bottom dweller Minnesota - no one is turning that program into a winner.
Better players than UK has had in ages? Williams and Brea both on NBA teams. Carr and Robinson both in G league. Oweh and Aberdeen are both great college players.
 

Aike

Heisman
Mar 17, 2002
75,435
46,357
90
Guy took a 13-19 NM team and turned it into an instant winner. Found/developed kids like Donovan Dent and JT Toppin - both better college players than UK has had in ages. He started his career at bottom dweller Minnesota - no one is turning that program into a winner.

You have lost your ever loving mind if Richard Pitino is your first or 31st call.
 

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,188
11,341
108
It hasn’t closed but the top names are closing
The ill informed fan thinks as long as Pope gets “somebody(s)” from the portal, then recruiting is a success!

They were also the same people bitching that Pope needed another season to get things right.

And , they will be the same ones lobbying why it’s not entirely Pope’s fault when UK drops another 13-15 games next season!
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,843
20,195
103
It wa obvious from the start he was going back to byu if anyone paid attention. Osu St. John’s and Louisville all moved on from him immediately. Pope for some reason thought he had a shot and he didn’t. U might know his cousin but I’m talking about these people Who claim to have sources for every recruit and stuff. It’s hilarious. I find it more believable that someone knows 1 or 2 guys or ppl around them. There is a lot of people on here from all over. I knew Caleb holt was never coming to uk from a former teammate and his family. He loved pope but hated our system. We was never considered when Jack and ksr kept saying we were in the top with bama and zona
Yeah we had an “insider” on here yesterday guaranteeing us two commitments yesterday and two more by Monday. So far he’s 0-2.
 

UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
4,096
7,267
113
Guy took a 13-19 NM team and turned it into an instant winner. Found/developed kids like Donovan Dent and JT Toppin - both better college players than UK has had in ages. He started his career at bottom dweller Minnesota - no one is turning that program into a winner.
Are you making a joke or what? In 14 seasons as a HC he has exactly ONE season with less than 10 losses. He has TEN seasons with 13 or more losses. He didn't take over a 13-19 team, he coached that 13-19 team. He is coming off a 15-18 season at New Mexico. There aren't many options worse than Pope but you nailed one
 

Catphright23

All-Conference
Dec 6, 2023
634
1,182
93
Did they confirm Holloway can't play next year? I figure no but Nate Oats always has something up his sleeves.