Social Media Reacts To Reports Of BYU’s Mark Pope To Kentucky
Apr 11, 2024, 8:10 PM | Updated: Apr 15, 2024, 2:24 pm
PROVO, Utah – BYU’s Mark Pope is reportedly landing the Kentucky Wildcats head coach position.
National reports flowed in on Thursday that the Wildcats were zeroing in on BYU’s headman, who guided the Cougars to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his five years as head coach.
After the Wildcats received a “no” from Baylor’s Scott Drew on Thursday morning to their interest, BYU’s Mark Pope became the top target.
Sources have told KSL Sports that Pope cleared out his schedule of meetings and events on campus at BYU moments after Drew publicly expressed he was staying in Waco.
Pope was 110-52 in his five seasons as the head coach at BYU. He led the Cougars to two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Once the news began rolling in, social media took off.
This past season was perhaps his best coaching job as he led BYU into its inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference and helped BYU earn a 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament. BYU lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Duquesne.
Social Media reacts to reports of Mark Pope landing the Kentucky Wildcats job
Here are some of the notable reactions.
The thing I’ll say with the Mark Pope hire that I’ve said with probably a dozen other hires in the last couple of cycles:
Does he get anything more than a sniff if he didn’t play at Kentucky?
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) April 12, 2024
Whelp I’ve got in the newest BYU Basketball with Mark Pope Show mugs for this season of the coach’s show if anyone wants to buy one LOL.
I planned on them being black lol. pic.twitter.com/pEBM0uImi6
— Hemā Heimuli Jr. (@x_hems) April 12, 2024
All I ask Kentucky fans: Give Mark Pope til the opening press conference.
Super dynamic and he won at a place thats basically impossible in the modern era
And he clearly knows Kentucky expectations.
Give him a chance. You’ll be impressed. And it’s on him once the season starts
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 12, 2024
Mark Pope is a solid coach that should do well but it will be hard to sell it after fans were told by national media that they had 100 million to throw around for Danny Hurley, Billy Donovan (who they never called), and every other big time name
— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) April 12, 2024
Mark Pope might be great at Kentucky. (Any competent coach should be great at Kentucky.) But I explained a few hours ago on the @EyeOnCBBPodcast why I would’ve aggressively pursued Billy Donovan, and the idea that UK reportedly didn’t at all is pretty wild. pic.twitter.com/TY06ANms2L
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) April 12, 2024
Mark Pope is probably an upgrade in terms of on-court coaching (runs modern principles on offense, good coach) and a downgrade in program stability (will he consistently get kids? What level is he as a recruiter?)
Really interesting hire, honestly, for Kentucky. Could work well
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) April 12, 2024
If Mark Pope is the next coach at Kentucky as these reports indicate I think it’s a great move. Mark is super smart and engaging, coaches an entertaining style, understands the job and won’t get caught up in the wrong stuff. All things considered this ended well for Kentucky.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) April 12, 2024
We woke up this morning thing that Scott Drew would take the Kentucky job until he said no and Kentucky tried to get Dan Hurley and then he said no and before we go to sleep Mark Pope is heading back to UK.
What a world we live in.
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) April 12, 2024
Here’s what I will say about Mark Pope:
He has way more shit to him than most realize. https://t.co/TB1r83GC1a
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 12, 2024
Mark Pope. We hired Mark Pope. I want Mitch gone. The news made me sit on the floor and question everything I know. pic.twitter.com/CJ6zMZmxy8
— Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) April 12, 2024
If Mark Pope had never been an HC but been an asst on Cal’s staff for 8 years + got promoted as the alum hire, people would probably shrug and be fine w/ this
Instead he had *three* top 20 KenPom teams at BYU and successfully transitioned to the Big 12
I’ll take the latter
— Jim Root (@2ndChancePoints) April 12, 2024
Honestly don’t know what to say. I like Mark Pope as a person. If it comes together, It’s not the hire I would have made
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 12, 2024
Mark Pope — from back-to-back fifth-place finishes in the WCC to the Kentucky job in 12 months!https://t.co/l3RqkU9088
— Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) April 12, 2024
Point one: Mark Pope is a really good coach who had BYU playing way above level. Point two: If I was a Kentucky fan I’d be super mad ha
— Eamonn Brennan (@eamonnbrennan) April 12, 2024
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
