Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports recently graded the high-major 2024 coaching hires at the midway point of Year 2.
As one might expect after a 9-6 start this season, Mark Pope didn’t receive a good grade. Trotter gave Pope a solid “D” for his efforts to this point.
For the sake of comparison, Trotter gave John Calipari an “A-” at Arkansas and Pat Kelsey an “A-” at Louisville.
Here is an excerpt:
Kentucky: Mark Pope
Vibe check: Mark Pope knows what makes Kentucky basketball tick, so he knows that this isn’t the standard. Kentucky is 17-18 against high-major teams under his leadership. Twenty-four wins and a Sweet 16 appearance a year ago formed a promising start, but Pope said, “We should be the best at everything.”
Right now, Kentucky is just average on the floor despite having hordes of cash.
The Wildcats still have enough runway to make the tournament, but the evidence is mounting — both on the floor and on the recruiting trail — that this marriage isn’t on a national championship trajectory. How does Kentucky not find a way to land any of these freshman sensations like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson or Darryn Peterson? Kentucky seems to have lost its way. Early grade: D
