Pope needs to get it together

Bungalow Bill

All-Conference
Apr 8, 2007
1,952
3,578
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I know it's POP, pile on Pope time but I think Mo was saying they could have executed the scout better. Not that they didn't prep for Bama correctly. At some point the players are going to have to play better as well as Pope coach better. Hopefully both tomorrow night. Not holding my breath though.
 

Coach777

Senior
Dec 19, 2022
326
870
93
Can someone tell me when you have the biggest dude on the floor why he is not posting up everyone possession?? Obviously JQ had months of no contact practice so he had plenty of time to learn moves and get to the rim. Since it appears he doesn’t know how to effectively post up then it questions if it is/was even being taught and not made a priority. I think he would be a beast under many other coaches.
 
Jul 30, 2024
4,392
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I know it's POP, pile on Pope time but I think Mo was saying they could have executed the scout better. Not that they didn't prep for Bama correctly. At some point the players are going to have to play better as well as Pope coach better. Hopefully both tomorrow night. Not holding my breath though.
Site has a really bad habit of taking something true to an absurd conclusion insomuch that it becomes wildly fabricated.

- We are playing bad so that means we are going 0-4 in the next four games.

- We don’t have a recruit signed and football is getting recruits so that means there’s no JMI contract issues.

- Pope is worse than Billy Gillispie because the records are similar, ignoring context.

- He’s going to resign and leave millions on the table, because it’s the “right thing to do.”

It’s a message board, so I’m sure a lot of it is just blowing off steam, but my brain is too binary to join in when it goes so far off the rails. Also, I’m naturally predisposed to be something of a contrarian. I’m pissed off at Pope and wouldn’t shed a tear if he walked out the door within the next five minutes — but I also can’t go along with some of the wild distortions.
 
Last edited:
Jul 30, 2024
4,392
7,820
113
Can someone tell me when you have the biggest dude on the floor why he is not posting up everyone possession?? Obviously JQ had months of no contact practice so he had plenty of time to learn moves and get to the rim. Since it appears he doesn’t know how to effectively post up then it questions if it is/was even being taught and not made a priority. I think he would be a beast under many other coaches.
He’s just not a good post up player yet. They tried using him for rim runs and handlers just weren’t finding him. Hopefully, a film session emphasized it.
 
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CrimsonCats_rivals

All-Conference
Mar 22, 2022
1,491
2,989
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Can someone tell me when you have the biggest dude on the floor why he is not posting up everyone possession?? Obviously JQ had months of no contact practice so he had plenty of time to learn moves and get to the rim. Since it appears he doesn’t know how to effectively post up then it questions if it is/was even being taught and not made a priority. I think he would be a beast under many other coaches.
Some of that is just how the game has evolved. Throwing the ball to a big and watching him go to work with his back to the basket isn’t a very efficient way to score as a generalization. Coaches across the board are de-emphasizing that quite a bit unless they have a unicorn like Zach Edey. I’m also not sure I agree that non-contact drills are the perfect time to develop a post up bag. There’s quite a bit of contact that happens in the post.
 

Coach777

Senior
Dec 19, 2022
326
870
93
Some of that is just how the game has evolved. Throwing the ball to a big and watching him go to work with his back to the basket isn’t a very efficient way to score as a generalization. Coaches across the board are de-emphasizing that quite a bit unless they have a unicorn like Zach Edey. I’m also not sure I agree that non-contact drills are the perfect time to develop a post up bag. There’s quite a bit of contact that happens in the post

Some of that is just how the game has evolved. Throwing the ball to a big and watching him go to work with his back to the basket isn’t a very efficient way to score as a generalization. Coaches across the board are de-emphasizing that quite a bit unless they have a unicorn like Zach Edey. I’m also not sure I agree that non-contact drills are the perfect time to develop a post up bag. There’s quite a bit of contact that happens in the post.
Posting up is more about footwork which could have easily been taught and learned early this season. I agree that players back to the basket is not once what it use to be. But because of the rarity of his size in college he would be a force. Done properly he would be scoring double digits a game not to mention the pressure on the opposing bigs.
 

theKybluedude

Senior
Jul 2, 2025
332
780
93
He’ll get it going. Too smart not to. Just now getting his complete team together. Lowe getting better and JQ knocking off the rust.
Good news is they have been going in practice primarily with the unit most feel is the best. Let’s watch that core group come together and see.
I think they will get going.
Think Williams will have to step up in that lineup to stretch the floor.
Question is can that group pass? Can Q play up top and deliver the ball?
Oweh coming on. Lowe is steady and creative plus he scores.
Mo D plays hard just has to be a leader and provide toughness.

Define roles! Not so much wholesale subbing. Let this group bond and develop a style of play.
 

seccats04

Heisman
Dec 6, 2004
14,200
22,360
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Can someone tell me when you have the biggest dude on the floor why he is not posting up everyone possession?? Obviously JQ had months of no contact practice so he had plenty of time to learn moves and get to the rim. Since it appears he doesn’t know how to effectively post up then it questions if it is/was even being taught and not made a priority. I think he would be a beast under many other coaches.
The way Pope babies these guys, JQ was probably just on the sidelines sucking his thumb.
 
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AllBall

All-Conference
May 5, 2015
3,821
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Big red flag for a grown *** man, much less the head coach of a program, referencing anything T Swift.
Bet the recruits love listening to Taylor Swift while playing chess. 😂
 
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true-blue1

All-American
May 15, 2007
11,574
8,981
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After listening to MO’s pregame interview today it was very telling. The kid knows the game and has took notice what we could do to be better and improve. It’s clear now the proof is in the pudding, Pope has No clue and his staff doesn’t either. It’s sad that Pope and his staff lack scouting other teams and game preparation. I think most of us knew there was a problem and now we Know why we are getting blown out so much!!! Absolutely Pathetic!
 
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preston-lemasterpiece

All-Conference
Apr 15, 2025
1,057
1,924
111
After listening to MO’s pregame interview today was very telling. The kid knows the game and has took notice what we could do to be better and improve. It’s clear now the proof is in the pudding, Pope has No clue and his staff doesn’t either. It sad that Pope and his staff lack scouting other teams and game preparation. I think most of knew there was a problem and now we Know why we are getting blown out so much!!! Absolutely Pathetic!
how come Mo, a 22yo, can explain the game and our weaknesses that we need to work on, in a way that actually makes sense?
but Mark Pope, the 53yo Rhodes Scholar candidate/offensive coaching savant/almost-M.D....can't.
 
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Tri-Countycat

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
511
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I see on Facebook, and on here a lot of people saying “I believe Pope can turn it around” Not trying to do a “Gotcha” I’m just curious what makes people say this?