Kentucky was searching for a men’s basketball head coach, and the school reportedly moved to Utah State. Provo to be exact.
But it is a journey that involves returning home.
Kentucky is nearing an agreement with Mark Pope to be its next men’s basketball coach, according to multiple reports. Pope replaces John Calipari, who announced earlier this week that he was withdrawing from a program that, in his words, needed a new voice.
Calipari was introduced Wednesday as the next head coach at the University of Arkansas.
matt norlander CBS Sports He was one of the first to share the news on social media Thursday night, posting the following:
BREAKING: Kentucky has named BYU’s Mark Pope as its next coach, officials say @CBS Sports. Although nothing has been signed at this time, both sides are working quickly towards an agreement and hope to reach an agreement by the end of the night.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 12, 2024
ESPN College football writer Pete Thamel Also reported on the impending contract..
Norlander’s report also included some interesting context.by CBS Sports The insider said Kentucky “did not actively pursue Billy Donovan at any point over the past four days.” Norlander was also told that he had “no contact with Rick Pitino.”
the pope took over BYU In his first season at the helm of the Cougars in April 2019, he led the team to a 24-8 record, the best record for a first-year coach in school history. BYU was aiming to play in the NCAA Tournament that season, but the tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
BYU has posted winning seasons in each of Pope’s years on campus, including a 23-11 record last year, the school’s first season in the Big 12. BYU lost in the quarterfinals of his Big 12 Tournament and made it to the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore. At-large seed, 6th seed in the East. The Cougars lost to Duquesne in the opening game.
As mentioned above, this will be a homecoming for Pope. He began his college basketball career at Washington before transferring to Kentucky, where he was named Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1992. After sitting out the season due to eligibility rules, Pope played in every Kentucky game his final two years on campus, helping the team win the national title in 1996.
Under Rick Pitino.
