Any optimism the Kentucky Wildcats built after the St John’s win vanished just as quickly. The Wildcats were overwhelmed again, this time by No. 14 Alabama, falling 89-74 in Tuscaloosa after digging a 21-point first-half hole. The loss dropped them to 9-5 and ninth in the SEC. Mark Pope is not out of time yet, but expectations are clearly outrunning the program’s progress.

Kentucky fans are tired of losing, especially after the immense spending in the offseason. “What the hell are we watching?” a fan asked on a call at ESPN’s Kentucky Basketball Postgame Show. “He shouldn’t be here.” Was the emotion about the program’s condition, and heavily criticized Pope and UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart.

The reported $22 million roster value is something that will haunt Pope throughout this season. That is why so much criticism is falling on Pope. He has had every chance to build the roster he likes; instead, the team is failing to break into the AP Top 25 after starting at No.9 in the preseason. According to Jones, his success last year should give him some rope and continuation to 2026-27.

“I’m not giving up on Pope; some people are, I’m not,” Jones said on Kentucky Sports Radio.

“I still believe he can do it. I still think there’s almost nothing that could happen this year that would tell me he shouldn’t come back next year and give it a run; I think last year was actually successful.”

Kentucky finished 2024-25 with a 24-12 record, and Pope propelled a team he strung together in a few weeks to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019.

The notable part that Pope now misses is the fact that Kentucky solidified eight wins against teams that were ranked top-15 in the AP Poll. That tied an all-time program record, while also proceeding to achieve ten wins against quad-one opponents.

That includes beating No. 6 Duke for the first time since 2015, while also taking down the No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs in Seattle. The major difference is expectations. There was little to no hope last year, whereas this year they spiked through the roof.

Pope’s track record suggests he has consistently thrived in environments with limited expectations, raising legitimate questions about how he adapts when pressure and scrutiny peak. This was the first time he experienced it at this intensity.

His stints at Utah Valley and BYU followed the trend of defying the bar set for him. At BYU, he led them to their first NCAA tournament appearance in four years, as a No.6 seed no less. At Utah, he coached the Wolverines to 23 and 25 wins in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

It was the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in program history. Numerically, Kentucky is still better than this backlash suggests. On KenPom, they are ranked No.24 with the 37th best offense and 27th best defense while being the 301st unlucky team. So, the wins can arrive in the future, and Pope ends up with an acceptable season.

It is possible that when the expectations neutralize next season, he could once again succeed at Kentucky itself. However, it is a big maybe and requires some patience from the Kentucky fans and the management. Currently, Pope looks disconnected from what the fans want.

Mark Pope Can’t Pacify an Agitated Fanbase

Fans are ready to break that Kentucky door down and kick Mark Pope out. While he still keeps his job, the tensions are that high. Indeed, Mark Pope can still turn this team around. He needs to handle the backlash aptly as well.

This team is largely imported from other teams, and Pope is figuring things out through injuries. Currently, his messages to the fanbase are mostly empty, according to Jones.

Top Stories

Andy Reid Fires Coach In Attempt to Rebuild Staff After Receiving HC Requests For Chiefs’ Coordinators

Sources: John Harbaugh Wasn’t Fired, Left Ravens After Refusing Major Staff Changes

Three Arrested in Cleveland For Burglary at Shedeur Sanders’ Home

Mike McDaniel Contract: How Much Do Miami Dolphins Owe the Fired Coach?

Bryson DeChambeau Releases Fresh Statement on His LIV Golf Future Post Brooks Koepka’s Exit

Jimmie Johnson Caught at Center of Fan Storm as NASCAR Controversial Rule Sparks Daytona Backlash

“I just listened to the Mark Pope Show. It was….interesting I really think he needs someone to help him with communicating with the fanbase. Because he isn’t really connecting…at least I don’t think he is. People want answers and basketball talk, not Tony Robbins quotes,” Jones wrote.

Mark Pope has a reputation for using sensationalist ideas. He himself has admitted that he is a sore loser. Often, it contains little information regarding their on-court basketball and their practices, but just general advice. For example, the quote that could have prompted the Tony Robbins comparison was where Pope referenced “understanding the story.”

“What’s really important for us as coaches and as teammates is understanding the story that each of our guys and each member of our staff is telling themselves about what we’re going through right now, and then bringing it back to two things,” Pope said. While what he is saying might be correct and an important part of his process, that is not what the fans want to hear.

They want to understand what he is doing on the court to rectify the situation. The coming months won’t just define Kentucky’s season. But they’ll determine whether Mark Pope is built for a job where expectations never reset.