ESPN names their top 15 Coach of the Year candidates and Pope probably isn't where you thought he would be....

[catben]

Pearl, Golden, and Kelsey would be fine choices outside of Pope for coach of the year. Pearl has an outstanding team at Auburn of all places while Golden and Kelsey have far exceeded expectations for their respective teams.

Oh, I agree, BUT Coach Pope has beaten 2 of those coaches head-to-head and had to build his team from scratch(like Kelsey). Pearl being #1 I have no problem with. But Coach Pope is right behind him right now, IMHO. But we have a MONSTER schedule and by the end of the year that may change.

Having Scheyer on that list behind Pearl is even MORE proof of ESPN's Duke bias!!! And yes, Coach Pope beat him too!!!!

What a joke!!!

 

[Digger-Cat]

Look at the roster and tell me where the overwhelming talent is or a player that pops off? There isn’t one, the roster isn’t very talented.

When you play a garbage schedule, you don't need overwhelming talent.

They beat Illinois at home with a massive helping hand by the refs, other than that, their best win might be @ Ohio State or unc, who sucks.

Michigan state is a good team, but top 10 good? No and eventually that will show, their schedule ramps up in February and March.

 

[jwphelps]

He is 10th behind guys who coach teams that were picked in the preseason top 25 ahead of UK. All coaches with an asterik were ranked higher than UK in both the AP and Coaches Pre Season poll. A couple of those guys I get like DeVries, Gates and even Kelsey but Pearl, Scheyer and Oltzelberger who everyone thought should win and be ranked high?

Link here

1 Bruce Pearl *
2 Jon Scheyer *
3 Darian DeVries
4 Todd Golden *
5 Dennis Gates
6 Tom Izzo
7 Pat Kelsey
8 Brad Underwood
9 TJ Oltzelberger *
10 Mark Pope
11 Chris Jans
12 Penny Hardaway
13 Shaka Smart *
14 Rick Barnes *
15 Dusty May

Again it is ESPN, not much else to say.

 

[TopCatCal]

He is 10th behind guys who coach teams that were picked in the preseason top 25 ahead of UK. All coaches with an asterik were ranked higher than UK in both the AP and Coaches Pre Season poll. A couple of those guys I get like DeVries, Gates and even Kelsey but Pearl, Scheyer and Oltzelberger who everyone thought should win and be ranked high?

Link here

1 Bruce Pearl *
2 Jon Scheyer *
3 Darian DeVries
4 Todd Golden *
5 Dennis Gates
6 Tom Izzo
7 Pat Kelsey
8 Brad Underwood
9 TJ Oltzelberger *
10 Mark Pope
11 Chris Jans
12 Penny Hardaway
13 Shaka Smart *
14 Rick Barnes *
15 Dusty May

Parish is way more in line with reality.

Gary Parrish says Mark Pope would be his national coach of the year right now - Nation of Blue

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports named his top three candidates (as of right now) for national coach of the year in college basketball. Parrish said Kentucky’s Mark Pope would be his top choice right now. Bruce Pearl and Jon Scheyer joined Pope in Parrish’s top three. Who deserves Coach of the Year in...

www.nationofblue.com

The national coach of the year should be a 2 man race between Mark Pope & Pat Kelsey. Pope took over a program in April that had ZERO players on it's roster. Then he builds a team that's been pretty much ranked in the Top-10 all season with wins over 5 Top-15 teams. If anyone other than Pope or Kelsey wins this, then I'll lose all respect for any coach of the year awards in the future.

 

[jbne222]

I don’t understand either of those two. They were preseason top 10… they aren’t coaching an undefeated season… expected to be 1 seeds and meeting expectations. Sure, in a year with no massive over achievers in that same tier of teams then you give it to the most dominant coach. But this year Pope and Kelsey both are doing more with less

I think it just depends on where Auburn ends up. If they end up the #1 overall seed after losing the NPOY to injury then I have no issues with Pearl

 

[sambowieshin]

The national coach of the year should be a 2 man race between Mark Pope & Pat Kelsey. Pope took over a program in April that had ZERO players on it's roster. Then he builds a team that's been pretty much ranked in the Top-10 all season with wins over 5 Top-15 teams. If anyone other than Pope or Kelsey wins this, then I'll lose all respect for any coach of the year awards in the future.

My only caveat would be if Pope goes out in the first round.... It will be tough to name him COTY.