Mark Pope

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

Kentucky has lost 4 of their last 5. Hopefully they'll have another one next Tuesday, but they have South Carolina first to stop the bleeding. If they lose that game at lot of their fans are going to be sharpening the guillotine. Hell, some are doing that as I type this.

I think some of them are venting, some overreacting, and some are dead serious in regards.
Personally, I think he should get a bit of a pass with the injuries they've had to deal with, and having to put a team together so quick/losing a lot of their guys to Arkansas/Cal.

Just curious as to some of your thoughts on his situation and coaching abilities. He seems to be pretty decent in regards to offense, but some of his strategies and line-ups on defense are definitely head scratching to say the least.

IMO, he got lucky in our game with the fact our offense was shooting so poorly. I think the strategy of not guarding the 3 -point line in hopes you coax your opponent into a 3 contest with you, is a bad one. It definitely didn't work out for him last couple of games.

But anywho, what's your opinion on him?
Was his defenses bad at BYU? Does he have a history of teams being not physical? Could this be in his DNA since he wasn't necessarily a physical player at Ky?
Was he a bad hire?
Do you think he ultimately makes it at Kentucky?

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

How in the world did we let them win at our place?

 

[VolGee4]

He seems to have a good feel for teaching offense and getting his shooters open. But he only had 1 BYU team in 5 years in the top 50 in defensive efficiency. He’s never won an NCAAT game. Even if he makes it, there was always going to be a learning curve, especially in this difficult conference.

A bunch of people harp about offense, but you have to be able to stop teams in big games, too, especially in the postseason.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

How in the world did we let them win at our place?

I honestly think he decided to leave us wide open on 3's in hopes we'd shoot a bunch and miss a bunch, because that's exactly what happened.
We took 45 3's and only hit 11 of them ( 24%)
I think he figured he'd shoot better ( and he did, same number of makes but only 22 attempts- 50 %) and he could possibly steal a win.

When we play them Tuesday we need to be going to the rim and getting in the paint like we did against Flordia. We go out and try to win a 3 point shooting contest again, and I honestly believe it's the only way we lose.
Just my two cents....

 

[Zues1]

Kentucky has lost 4 of their last 5. Hopefully they'll have another one next Tuesday, but they have South Carolina first to stop the bleeding. If they lose that game at lot of their fans are going to be sharpening the guillotine. Hell, some are doing that as I type this.

I think some of them are venting, some overreacting, and some are dead serious in regards.
Personally, I think he should get a bit of a pass with the injuries they've had to deal with, and having to put a team together so quick/losing a lot of their guys to Arkansas/Cal.

Just curious as to some of your thoughts on his situation and coaching abilities. He seems to be pretty decent in regards to offense, but some of his strategies and line-ups on defense are definitely head scratching to say the least.

IMO, he got lucky in our game with the fact our offense was shooting so poorly. I think the strategy of not guarding the 3 -point line in hopes you coax your opponent into a 3 contest with you, is a bad one. It definitely didn't work out for him last couple of games.

But anywho, what's your opinion on him?
Was his defenses bad at BYU? Does he have a history of teams being not physical? Could this be in his DNA since he wasn't necessarily a physical player at Ky?
Do you think he ultimately makes it at Kentucky?

It's KY, he's expected to win a national every season. He'll be tarred and feathered soon.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

It's KY, he's expected to win a national every season. He'll be tarred and feathered soon.

You could definitely be right on that.
I think he gets the whole 3 years, IMO
Which if he does end up being a bad hire, that will set Kentucky back quite a bit. Not as much as it would in the pre-portal era, tho.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

He seems to have a good feel for teaching offense and getting his shooters open. But he only had 1 BYU team in 5 years in the top 50 in defensive efficiency. He’s never won an NCAAT game. Even if he makes it, there was always going to be a learning curve, especially in this difficult conference.

A bunch of people harp about offense, but you have to be able to stop teams in big games, too, especially in the postseason.

For sure. You have to be be somewhat balanced at least. We have found that out the hard way in terms of winning it all/ getting to final 4.

Barnes seems to at least be making the effort in respect. We got some guys this year that can potentially get it going enough to win games if we're playing the defense we are known for.
I think you can be tilted either direction and win a championship. I'd say 70-30 if fine if you're playinga high level on the 70% side.

If you look at champions in the NBA, it's not all offense minded or all defense minded teams that necessarily win year end and year out. It seems to be a mixture.

 

[OrangeInKy]

How in the world did we let them win at our place?

I can't even enjoy them losing because I can't get over letting those fools clown us in our place.

 

[OrangeInKy]

It's KY, he's expected to win a national every season. He'll be tarred and feathered soon.

It's why I've always thought it's a bad idea to bring beloved former players back as coaches. Sooner or later, it goes sour and ruins the shine.

 

[SGMVols]

He seems to have a good feel for teaching offense and getting his shooters open. But he only had 1 BYU team in 5 years in the top 50 in defensive efficiency. He’s never won an NCAAT game. Even if he makes it, there was always going to be a learning curve, especially in this difficult conference.

A bunch of people harp about offense, but you have to be able to stop teams in big games, too, especially in the postseason.

They are now 2nd in the country offensively, but 111th defensively. That’s a staggering gap.

 

[SteensVol]

They are now 2nd in the country offensively, but 111th defensively. That’s a staggering gap.

They would be 175th if we had hit any shots! Lol

 

[VolCalls]

They are now 2nd in the country offensively, but 111th defensively. That’s a staggering gap.

They and UConn are the two worst defensive teams in the KenPom top 50 by a wide margin.

 

[Special Ed]

Isn't this post in the wrong forum?
Around the NCAA perhaps.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

Isn't this post in the wrong forum?

Nah, not at all. KY forum made a thread about Barnes after they beat us. That's not why I made it, tho. Just curious what some of our folks thought about a particular new coaching hire of a rival program.
I'm on a lot of different SEC school forums all the time getting information about their teams and whatnot. I've seen coaching threads made on other school's coaches many times. Auburn has one started right now on Mark Pope to discuss Mark Pope's coach of the year talk. Primarily about how it should probably calm down now that they continue to crap the bed.
Naturally the Barn head thinks Pearl should get that award, and he may have a good argument in that respect.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

But he only had 1 BYU team in 5 years in the top 50 in defensive efficiency. He’s never won an NCAAT game.

A bunch of people harp about offense, but you have to be able to stop teams in big games, too, especially in the postseason.

Interesting. Seems he does have a deficiency in coaching defense. That would definitely explain having never won a NCAA tournament game.
Bad defense will get you bounced pretty quick most of the time in March. Most teams seem to get warmer on offense when the madness starts.