Problems is 70% coaching and 30% on the Players

[kygent2]

Losing to Louisville, Michigan State, and North Carolina isn’t just disappointing its alarming. We should have taken at least one of those games, if not all. Big Blue Nation expects better.
Right now, it feels like 70% on coaching and 30% on players. The talent is there, but execution and leadership are missing. Adjustments, strategy, and accountability need to happen fast.
Last night was the perfect time to switch to a zone, but no defensive adjustment ever came. The players have the ability to succeed, but no one is teaching them how to defend. They don’t rotate to the ball. When the other team posts up, our guys should be guarding low side to force a turn away from the basket—not high side, giving up easy layups.
Garrison? Terrible defender. Who’s working with him? With the right coaching, this team would be undefeated. The talent is there. When we get healthy and Pope can figure out the right rotations, this team will be trouble come March.

 

[Anon1762918729]

Not sure I buy those numbers gent' . Pope isnt getting the most out of what we do have .. roles are not clear , players free to take bad shots . I will say OO headspace is awful. But thats on Coach too , its his job to motivate everyone . And its his job to construct the roster . Maybe things get better when JQ gets here .. but is he gonna take another month off ?? MD

 

[chasingwildcat]

If Kevin Sampson coaches this team

This team would be way better in defense and rebounding

 

[SkyPrince]

Where's the talent?
Not a draft pick(1st or 2nd) currently playing.
JJ probably at the bottom production wise of any kid who made the McDonald's team.
Collin Chandler should be a SR.
Kam is grossly overrated as a shooter.
Mo can't throw it in the ocean and motor seems to be overrated at this point. He's no Mu' Evans.
Oweh will have an uphill climb to make the All SEC team much less be POY.
Trent is solid against cupcakes.
Garrison no comment necessary.
So you basically have two first year players in Moreno and Jelavic who have upside.

 

[Crazy4Blue]

In 10 years there may not be any UK players in the NBA

 

[TeamAmerica]

Losing to Louisville, Michigan State, and North Carolina isn’t just disappointing its alarming. We should have taken at least one of those games, if not all. Big Blue Nation expects better.
Right now, it feels like 70% on coaching and 30% on players. The talent is there, but execution and leadership are missing. Adjustments, strategy, and accountability need to happen fast.
Last night was the perfect time to switch to a zone, but no defensive adjustment ever came. The players have the ability to succeed, but no one is teaching them how to defend. They don’t rotate to the ball. When the other team posts up, our guys should be guarding low side to force a turn away from the basket—not high side, giving up easy layups.
Garrison? Terrible defender. Who’s working with him? With the right coaching, this team would be undefeated. The talent is there. When we get healthy and Pope can figure out the right rotations, this team will be trouble come March.

Biggest problems are he doesn't have the players to fit the offense he is trying to run and didn't recruit another PG beside Lowe.

 

[bigblueinsanity (the real)]

Its 100% pope. These players are here because he targeted them and threw a major bag at them all. That's how we end up with 22 mil for everyone's backups.

So when these backups can't beat starters for top teams, it shouldn't surprise.

 

[fisherscatfan]

Biggest problems are he doesn't have the players to fit the offense he is trying to run and didn't recruit another PG beside Lowe.

I would say that is the symptom (or result) of the problem. The problem being Pope cannot evaluate talent or cannot recruit/close talent.

 

[Guyute]

Where's the talent?
Not a draft pick(1st or 2nd) currently playing.
JJ probably at the bottom production wise of any kid who made the McDonald's team.
Collin Chandler should be a SR.
Kam is grossly overrated as a shooter.
Mo can't throw it in the ocean and motor seems to be overrated at this point. He's no Mu' Evans.
Oweh will have an uphill climb to make the All SEC team much less be POY.
Trent is solid against cupcakes.
Garrison no comment necessary.
So you basically have two first year players in Moreno and Jelavic who have upside.

I remember being attacked for calling this roster hot garbage before the season began. To add to what you’ve said:

Pope is only the coach because he played here.

Aberdeen, Mo, Kam, and Lowe aren’t even mediocre college players (Lowe was a decent player for a terrible team).

Chandler is only here because he’s Mormon.

Noah is supposed to be a cigar.

I will say something about Brandon Garrison - the dude is absolute trash.

 

[TTTblue24]

I mean we run zero offense, it’s ok if you have some studs out there but we are far from that. There’s absolutely zero movement off the ball or heaven forbid a screen to free someone besides the dribbler. Why can’t we steal some plays from other teams and try something different??? I thought we were out of the offense where the shot clock runs down every time but yet here we are again.

 

[AllBall]

If Kevin Sampson coaches this team

This team would be way better in defense and rebounding

If

Where's the talent?
Not a draft pick(1st or 2nd) currently playing.
JJ probably at the bottom production wise of any kid who made the McDonald's team.
Collin Chandler should be a SR.
Kam is grossly overrated as a shooter.
Mo can't throw it in the ocean and motor seems to be overrated at this point. He's no Mu' Evans.
Oweh will have an uphill climb to make the All SEC team much less be POY.
Trent is solid against cupcakes.
Garrison no comment necessary.
So you basically have two first year players in Moreno and Jelavic who have upside.

JJ didn't make the McDonald's team. They knew but our talking heads wouldn't pay attention.

 

[AllBall]

That's why I trust my eyes over analytics. How's Kam doing as a three point shooter? Everyone clamored he shoots 40% and now he's terrified and can't draw iron on most attempts.

 

[Anon1762918729]

I remember being attacked for calling this roster hot garbage before the season began. To add to what you’ve said:

Pope is only the coach because he played here.

Aberdeen, Mo, Kam, and Lowe aren’t even mediocre college players (Lowe was a decent player for a terrible team).

Chandler is only here because he’s Mormon.

Noah is supposed to be a cigar.

I will say something about Brandon Garrison - the dude is absolute trash.

Can’t argue much , do think Chandler is pretty legit , even better surrounded by a elite player or 2 , worried Aberdeen and Mo are not ever going to help , Mo appears unmotivated—-MD

 

[Eastkybball]

Aberdeen is a decent back ups back up
Chandler is a decent back ups back up
Oweh had a stroke or something
Williams is a red shirter
Moreno is a good back up
Mo is a back up
Jella is a back ups back up
Jasper is a good high school player
Noah is a good high school player
Garrison is a good men’s church league player
Lowe is gonna be play a game get injured again
JQ is a starter plays good defense but won’t matter cause he has no help

Mark Pope is a goofy awkward dork who isn’t appealing at all to play for.