A fairly in-depth look at Mark Pope's record while at BYU.

[crawfords corner]

Conference: West Coast Conference
5th season as a college basketball coach
Took over for Dave Rose after BYU went 19-13.


1st year record(2019-2020) 24-8. Ranked as high as 14. Finished AP at 18
1-2 against ranked teams(these are AP ranked at time they played). Lost to Kansas. Split with Gonzaga
Other wins: Houston, Virginia Tech, UCLA
Lost: St. Mary's in 1st round of WCC tournament.



2nd year record(2020-2021). 20-7. 2nd straight finish behind Gonzaga. Highest/Final ranking 23rd.
1-3 against ranked teams. Beat SDSU. Lost to Gonzaga 3 times
Other wins: St. Johns, Utah State
NCAA Tournament: lost to UCLA in 1st round


3rd year record(2021-2022) 24-11. Finished 5th in conference. Ranked as high as 12th but was out of rankings by mid-December
1-2 against ranked teams. Beat Oregon. Lost to Gonzaga twice.
Lost in 3rd round of NIT to Washington St.



4th year record(2022-2023). 19-15. Finished 5th in WCC
1-6 against ranked teams. Beat: 21 Creighton. Lost 3x to St. Mary's, 2x to Gonzaga, SDSU
Postseason: Lost to St. Mary's in conference championship game


5th season record(2023-2024). 23-11. 5th in Big 12
4-5 against ranked teams. Beat: SDSU, ISU, Baylor, and Kansas. Also beat NC State who went on that miraculous run b4 losing to Edey
Postseason: Lost to Texas Tech in B12 conference and then Duquesne in the NCAAT.


BYU record: 110-52 for 67.9%. 8-18 versus ranked teams.
Overall: 187-108.
1st season in his career is his only losing record. 2nd season they finished .500.



Utah Valley..... 0-4 against ranked teams including a 10 point loss at Rupp. Also, his nemesis, Gonzaga, beat him here as well.

Pope lost 9 times to ranked Gonzaga. 1-9. Non-Gonzaga ranked teams 7-9. 4 of those 9 came against St. Mary's. Against non-WCC ranked teams Pope is 7-5.


BYU points per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 13th(79.6pts)
20/21: 37th(78.1 pts)
21/22: 88th(74.3 pts)
22/23: 86th(75.5 pts)
23/24: 22nd(81.1 pts)


BYU defense points allowed per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 148th best(68.4pts)
20/21: 126th(68.6 pts)
21/22: 151st(68.3 pts)
22/23: 171st(69.9 pts)
23/24: 111th(69.9 pts)

 

[Smashcat]

Conference: West Coast Conference
5th season as a college basketball coach
Took over for Dave Rose after BYU went 19-13.


1st year record(2019-2020) 24-8. Ranked as high as 14. Finished AP at 18
1-2 against ranked teams(these are AP ranked at time they played). Lost to Kansas. Split with Gonzaga
Other wins: Houston, Virginia Tech, UCLA
Lost: St. Mary's in 1st round of WCC tournament.



2nd year record(2020-2021). 20-7. 2nd straight finish behind Gonzaga. Highest/Final ranking 23rd.
1-3 against ranked teams. Beat SDSU. Lost to Gonzaga 3 times
Other wins: St. Johns, Utah State
NCAA Tournament: lost to UCLA in 1st round


3rd year record(2021-2022) 24-11. Finished 5th in conference. Ranked as high as 12th but was out of rankings by mid-December
1-2 against ranked teams. Beat Oregon. Lost to Gonzaga twice.
Lost in 3rd round of NIT to Washington St.



4th year record(2022-2023). 19-15. Finished 5th in WCC
1-6 against ranked teams. Beat: 21 Creighton. Lost 3x to St. Mary's, 2x to Gonzaga, SDSU
Postseason: Lost to St. Mary's in conference championship game


5th season record(2023-2024). 23-11. 5th in Big 12
4-5 against ranked teams. Beat: SDSU, ISU, Baylor, and Kansas. Also beat NC State who went on that miraculous run b4 losing to Edey
Postseason: Lost to Texas Tech in B12 conference and then Duquesne in the NCAAT.


BYU record: 110-52 for 67.9%. 8-18 versus ranked teams.
Overall: 187-108.
1st season in his career is his only losing record. 2nd season they finished .500.



Utah Valley..... 0-4 against ranked teams including a 10 point loss at Rupp. Also, his nemesis, Gonzaga, beat him here as well.

Pope lost 9 times to ranked Gonzaga. 1-9. Non-Gonzaga ranked teams 7-9. 4 of those 9 came against St. Mary's. Against non-WCC ranked teams Pope is 7-5.


BYU points per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 13th(79.6pts)
20/21: 37th(78.1 pts)
21/22: 88th(74.3 pts)
22/23: 86th(75.5 pts)
23/24: 22nd(81.1 pts)


BYU defense points allowed per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 148th best(68.4pts)
20/21: 126th(68.6 pts)
21/22: 151st(68.3 pts)
22/23: 171st(69.9 pts)
23/24: 111th(69.9 pts)

Figured the D would be ugly.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Not impressive at all.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown though

 

[jayhovah]

This makes me sad.

 

[RunninRichie]

We are ****ed.

 

[BStockfan01]

Im just hear to say I knew he coached at byu the mormon school. I didnt know Mark Pope is Mormon. If he brings looney toon rules here this could end terribly. Im genuinely worried about this

 

[Skyguyb27]

So basically as long as we don’t play a ranked team we will be 500.

 

[UKCat4Ever]

So basically as long as we don’t play a ranked team we will be 500.

Holy hell, that statement punched me in the gut.

 

[bookerfan66]

But HE IS ONE OF OURS so be happy.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Holy hell, that statement punched me in the gut.

No worries. As of now we just play Dook, UNC, ZAGS, TN, ARK, AUB, and BAMA.

 

[ukfan1622]

Yeah, there is no chance he'll do better at UK than his previous stops. Of course, most of our other coaches did but Pope is so obviously one of the worst coaches ever. I highly recommend most on this thread to not watch any Pope coached UK games. Why would you watch a team you know is going to be terrible? I hear Arkansas is going to be great next year and they need some fans.

 

[bookerfan66]

Yeah, there is no chance he'll do better at UK than his previous stops. Of course, most of our other coaches did but Pope is so obviously one of the worst coaches ever. I highly recommend most on this thread to not watch any Pope coached UK games. Why would you watch a team you know is going to be terrible? I hear Arkansas is going to be great next year and they need some fans.

So you think UK will be good next season?There is a thing called facing reality.Even if you are happy with the hire do you really think it will be fine next season?

 

[ZagsVisitor]

Conference: West Coast Conference
5th season as a college basketball coach
Took over for Dave Rose after BYU went 19-13.


1st year record(2019-2020) 24-8. Ranked as high as 14. Finished AP at 18
1-2 against ranked teams(these are AP ranked at time they played). Lost to Kansas. Split with Gonzaga
Other wins: Houston, Virginia Tech, UCLA
Lost: St. Mary's in 1st round of WCC tournament.



2nd year record(2020-2021). 20-7. 2nd straight finish behind Gonzaga. Highest/Final ranking 23rd.
1-3 against ranked teams. Beat SDSU. Lost to Gonzaga 3 times
Other wins: St. Johns, Utah State
NCAA Tournament: lost to UCLA in 1st round


3rd year record(2021-2022) 24-11. Finished 5th in conference. Ranked as high as 12th but was out of rankings by mid-December
1-2 against ranked teams. Beat Oregon. Lost to Gonzaga twice.
Lost in 3rd round of NIT to Washington St.



4th year record(2022-2023). 19-15. Finished 5th in WCC
1-6 against ranked teams. Beat: 21 Creighton. Lost 3x to St. Mary's, 2x to Gonzaga, SDSU
Postseason: Lost to St. Mary's in conference championship game


5th season record(2023-2024). 23-11. 5th in Big 12
4-5 against ranked teams. Beat: SDSU, ISU, Baylor, and Kansas. Also beat NC State who went on that miraculous run b4 losing to Edey
Postseason: Lost to Texas Tech in B12 conference and then Duquesne in the NCAAT.


BYU record: 110-52 for 67.9%. 8-18 versus ranked teams.
Overall: 187-108.
1st season in his career is his only losing record. 2nd season they finished .500.



Utah Valley..... 0-4 against ranked teams including a 10 point loss at Rupp. Also, his nemesis, Gonzaga, beat him here as well.

Pope lost 9 times to ranked Gonzaga. 1-9. Non-Gonzaga ranked teams 7-9. 4 of those 9 came against St. Mary's. Against non-WCC ranked teams Pope is 7-5.


BYU points per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 13th(79.6pts)
20/21: 37th(78.1 pts)
21/22: 88th(74.3 pts)
22/23: 86th(75.5 pts)
23/24: 22nd(81.1 pts)


BYU defense points allowed per game under Mark Pope

19/20: 148th best(68.4pts)
20/21: 126th(68.6 pts)
21/22: 151st(68.3 pts)
22/23: 171st(69.9 pts)
23/24: 111th(69.9 pts)

Something is wrong in your information. First, his loss to SMC in 2019-‘20 was not in the first round of the conference tournament. BYU had a double by based on regular season rankings, which the WCC provides single and double bys for the conference tournament. Second, they couldn’t have lost to SMC in the 2022-‘23 conference tournament title game, because Gonzaga has made the title game for all of the last 20 years.

Other notable thoughts you’d be forgiven for not knowing as a fan of a blue blood not watching the comings and goings of our conference: their win over Oregon in 2021-‘22 was over an Oregon team that was heralded in the preseason but ended up having an atrocious season.

 

[crawfords corner]

Something is wrong in your information. First, his loss to SMC in 2019-‘20 was not in the first round of the conference tournament. BYU had a double by based on regular season rankings, which the WCC provides single and double bys for the conference tournament. Second, they couldn’t have lost to SMC in the 2022-‘23 conference tournament title game, because Gonzaga has made the title game for all of the last 20 years.

Other notable thoughts you’d be forgiven for not knowing as a fan of a blue blood not watching the comings and goings of our conference: their win over Oregon in 2021-‘22 was over an Oregon team that was heralded in the preseason but ended up having an atrocious season.

Yea, it was hard to tell from baskeball-reference so I appreciate the corrections. As for Oregon, I did mention under 1st season record that these were against teams that were ranked at the time that they played them. His record against ranked teams almost certainly is different if I only went to end of season rankings. Not a lot different, but I'd have to look at how teams finished this season to adjust the B12 record.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

It's also interesting to note the coach before him had a 72% winning percentage compared to popes 67%.

 

[crawfords corner]

It's also interesting to note the coach before him had a 72% winning percentage compared to popes 67%.

Some of those seasons were spent in the MWC. So, yes, it is true that he won 72% of his games while at BYU. When they switched to the WCC they went 189-90 which is 67.7%.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Watched BYU a few times this year and Pope out coached Self and Drew while having no where near the talent. You can tell their short comings was talent and athleticism related

 

[stonethecrow]

It's also interesting to note the coach before him had a 72% winning percentage compared to popes 67%.

At a school with endless resources compared to a school that will take your scholarship away for holding your girlfriend's hand after 9 p.m.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

But HE IS ONE OF OURS so be happy.

How old are you, 12?

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

One thing in life we should know, when it’s do or die backs against the wall, great things can come from it because you have to be alert , focused and fight like crazy to have any chance at success.

I know most of you have no faith or trust in this, hell my logic brain says it’s 30% chance at success but there is zero chance at success if we don’t throw all the love and any help we can give …. At least until on the court he shows cal like coaching mistakes and we know it can’t work for sure.

I’m not asking to be stupid and predict we will be amazing. I’m just asking for everyone to be more constructive and try to focus on what he and we need to do moving forward to make this thing work