2x AP Coach of the Year’s Bizarre Punishment Could Be Key to Fixing Mark Pope’s SEC Woes

The Kentucky Wildcats need to defend better. There’s no way around it, and sugarcoating the issue would be pointless. Mark Pope’s team allowed nearly a hundred points to the Ole Miss Rebels, ending up on the wrong side of a blowout. Even with the absence of key defensive player Lamont Butler, Coach Pope must find a way to secure stops in crucial moments. However, a former UNC player turned analyst might have the secret to a stronger defensive performance.

On The Field of 68: After Dark, show hosts John Fanta, John Henson, and CJ Moore discussed the defensive failures of the Big Blue Nation. Considering the fact that they are currently allowing the seventh most points per game in all Power 5 conferences, analyst and UNC alum, John Henson felt like it was time for some change. “I need to call Mark Pope,” the former NBA player said. “I’m gonna tell him a little trick Roy Williams did.” 

It might be wise for Coach Pope to hear Henson out, as Coach Williams’ resume certainly speaks for itself! “

We had a bad couple defensive games and we sucked defensively.” Henson continued, detailing a rough patch during his collegiate career. “We walked into the gym, there were no rims. There were no rims for two days. We did not shoot the ball.” 

The punishment matched the crime, it seemed. When asked about what they did if not shoot around, Henson said, “Defensive drills. We ran, we did sprints, we did passing drills. We did not shoot the ball for two days. So needless to say, it worked out for us.” The former Chapel Hill head coach was a firm believer in hard work. He believed in handling his team himself, and that included doling out his own personal style and brand of punishments.

However harsh the punishment might have been, the Tar Heels never needed to repeat it. Mark Pope and Kentucky could stand to learn a thing or two from Coach Williams’ example, but their issues aren’t so easily resolved. Their SEC comeback won’t be an easy feat, especially with some crucial rematches on the horizon. It will be interesting to see how Coach Pope handles the challenges ahead and whether he can steer the Wildcats back on track.

Mark Pope’s chance for redemption, two crucial matchups to watch out for!

Kentucky has not gotten it together this season. After the departure of coach Cal, fans were excited to welcome a new era of Wildcats basketball. But it hasn’t gone the way that the Blue Nation expected it to. Mark Pope’s recent struggles have been well documented, but there is a chance for redemption even now.

Back-to-back games against Vanderbilt and Alabama are a perfect opportunity for Mark Pope to make his presence felt in the SEC. He has a chance to reverse his fortunes. Both teams triumphed over the Wildcats previously by a margin of 5 points each.

Vanderbilt will now come into Kentucky’s home turf to try and repeat their performance in front of the Big Blue Nation. This time, however, the crowd will be in the Wildcats’ favor. Even coach Cal knew how big of a challenge it is to win in Lexington. “It’s not easy to win here.” He said in the post-game conference a few nights ago. Kentucky just need to keep their players healthy, and leave the rest to their fans.

There’s no doubt that morale hit an all-time low when Alabama waltzed into Lexington and handed the Wildcats a tough loss. Home game losses always sting, but Mark Pope and his team will have a chance to get back at the Crimson Tide soon. Fortunately, these two crucial games are still a few weeks away, giving enough time for Lamont Butler to recover and for Andrew Carr to find his rhythm again. What do you think? Will Mark Pope be able to reverse his SEC fortunes and turn things around for Kentucky?