Stealing money

Indycat22

Redshirt
Apr 20, 2026
5
11
3
  1. Scott Drew, Baylor – $5.47 million
  2. Brad Underwood, Illinois – $5.40 million
  3. Mark Pope, Kentucky – $5.25 million
  4. Sean Miller, Texas – $5.06 million
  5. Matt Painter, Purdue – $4.98 million
  6. Buzz Williams, Maryland – $4.88 million
  7. Mick Cronin, UCLA – $4.50 million
  8. Chris Jans, Mississippi State – $4.40 million
  9. Jamie Dixon, TCU – $4.37 million
  10. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska – $4.35 million
  11. Darian DeVries, Indiana – $4.33 million
  12. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State – $4.30 million
  13. Mike Rhoades, Penn State – $4.23 million
  14. Dennis Gates, Missouri – $4.20 million
  15. Shaka Smart, Marquette – $4.09 million
 

UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
2,999
7,456
100
3 on the Mitch list are on there. Drew,Pope and Smart. Does anyone see a problem?

And just add up all the success of the top 5 surrounding Pope, and then look at Popes success beside it.

Pope was hired to control information about JMI and keep the dirt in house, give Mitch his access and control for the university as it pivots to selling the program out. He’s perfect gaslighting material. Nobody, in any company anywhere, would hire a guy like Pope for a role like this unless it was for control. It’s as obvious as anything you’ll ever see

“But me ole 96’r!!!!”

Yea, we’ll wear it while you enjoy the beatdowns coming.
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
434
564
93
What is this ranking
It's not a ranking - it's most expensive coaches starting at Pope, I think. I believe the intention is to show how many better coaches are under Pope's salary. There are some very good ones in there. Hurley & Self are up near 8mm, so it's not most expensive.

If UK was able to land Hurley, would have likely been in a F4 this year. I wonder if there was ever a chance there. Not a perfect cultural fit, but that guy could handle the scene and pump up the fan base, that is for sure.
 

Im The Village Idiot

All-Conference
Sep 7, 2025
423
1,237
93
It's not a ranking - it's most expensive coaches starting at Pope, I think. I believe the intention is to show how many better coaches are under Pope's salary. There are some very good ones in there. Hurley & Self are up near 8mm, so it's not most expensive.

If UK was able to land Hurley, would have likely been in a F4 this year. I wonder if there was ever a chance there. Not a perfect cultural fit, but that guy could handle the scene and pump up the fan base, that is for sure.
We’ve got an entire year to prepare for a coaching change. Step one might be to get more realistic. Hurley isn’t coming here.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
45,962
83,636
113
  1. Scott Drew, Baylor – $5.47 million
  2. Brad Underwood, Illinois – $5.40 million
  3. Mark Pope, Kentucky – $5.25 million
  4. Sean Miller, Texas – $5.06 million
  5. Matt Painter, Purdue – $4.98 million
  6. Buzz Williams, Maryland – $4.88 million
  7. Mick Cronin, UCLA – $4.50 million
  8. Chris Jans, Mississippi State – $4.40 million
  9. Jamie Dixon, TCU – $4.37 million
  10. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska – $4.35 million
  11. Darian DeVries, Indiana – $4.33 million
  12. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State – $4.30 million
  13. Mike Rhoades, Penn State – $4.23 million
  14. Dennis Gates, Missouri – $4.20 million
  15. Shaka Smart, Marquette – $4.09 million
You guys telling me we couldn’t offer numerous coaches on this list 9-10 million a year and they would turn it down? I don’t think so.
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
434
564
93
We’ve got an entire year to prepare for a coaching change. Step one might be to get more realistic. Hurley isn’t coming here.
100% - was at the same time the Laker's were courting him, that's a tough distraction. One can dream. That guy is the anti-Pope. Throw Pope in a box and shake it up and ask the genie to give you something the exact opposite, and it's that psycho genius.

Need something with some spice after this goobly gob.
 
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JAC71

All-American
Jun 28, 2015
5,006
9,415
113
I do love how Matt pretends we just couldn’t possibly have hired anyone but Shaka Smart Or Pope when he defends Mitch. That’s an indictment not an excuse.
If that’s true then it’s because Barnhart got lazy and didn’t do his job… there are coaches at mid majors that have just as good or better resume than Pope. But I also believe that the hire was to drown out the scandal at UK.
 

Im The Village Idiot

All-Conference
Sep 7, 2025
423
1,237
93
100% - was at the same time the Laker's were courting him, that's a tough distraction. One can dream. That guy is the anti-Pope. Throw Pope in a box and shake it up and ask the genie to give you something the exact opposite, and it's that psycho genius.

Need something with some spice after this goobly gob.
For me personally I don’t care about having an anti-anything. I just want a good coach who wins.

I personally would cast my hat in the direction of Jai Lucas. I believe he is realistic, young and has good incentive to want this brand.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
45,962
83,636
113
For me personally I don’t care about having an anti-anything. I just want a good coach who wins.

I personally would cast my hat in the direction of Jai Lucas. I believe he is realistic, young and has good incentive to want this brand.
I think you are correct, he would be the perfect type of hire that could really pay off in the long run. He can definitely recruit.
 

Dward13

All-Conference
Feb 5, 2008
10,244
1,608
72
We’ve got an entire year to prepare for a coaching change. Step one might be to get more realistic. Hurley isn’t coming here.

Hurley, McCollum, Lloyd, Otzelberger, Golden, Painter, Scheyer, Few, Pitino

None of those guys are leaving their current job for another college job.

You could maybe add Miller and Underwood to that list as well. Those guys both have everything they need to win where they’re at.

Our best chance might be Billy Donovan if the Magic dont hire him. I’ve seen conflicting things on his interest in coming back to college.

Jai Lucas i bet would take it. Ofcourse, if the JMI stuff is really as problematic as some have speculated, then we’re really going to have to go far down the list.
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
434
564
93
For me personally I don’t care about having an anti-anything. I just want a good coach who wins.

I personally would cast my hat in the direction of Jai Lucas. I believe he is realistic, young and has good incentive to want this brand.
Can't disagree - a bit unproven is the only issue. 2 years of total head coaching is still a bit of a risk, so would have to really believe in him. Would be quite the cultural shift for Rupp Arena.
 

cornbreadnmilk

All-American
Nov 5, 2025
1,570
5,806
113
I've never seen the excitement about Lucas. His recruiting this season wasn't that special at all.
 

BookofMormon

Senior
Mar 27, 2026
434
564
93
Hurley, McCollum, Lloyd, Otzelberger, Golden, Painter, Scheyer, Few, Pitino

None of those guys are leaving their current job for another college job.

You could maybe add Miller and Underwood to that list as well. Those guys both have everything they need to win where they’re at.

Our best chance might be Billy Donovan if the Magic dont hire him. I’ve seen conflicting things on his interest in coming back to college.

Jai Lucas i bet would take it. Ofcourse, if the JMI stuff is really as problematic as some have speculated, then we’re really going to have to go far down the list.
Miller isn't leaving Texas - has everything he needs there. Underwood is older and likely settled.

The only guy that is settled that might explore is Oats. Can see him willing to move off of a true football school. He'd be on the short list with Lucas and St Louis Coach (who is really smart). That's probably your true short list. I'm not sure who Kansas would angle for in addition to - perhaps McCollum takes a peak since it's not far and he really fits that culture. I guess I wonder if it's truly that much more attractive moving from the B10 to the B12.

If JMI is problematic, it would be a significant problem.
 
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Im The Village Idiot

All-Conference
Sep 7, 2025
423
1,237
93
I've never seen the excitement about Lucas. His recruiting this season wasn't that special at all.
I’m open to seeing your point but you’d have to list who you’d rather have that is a realistic option, young and is recruiting better than Lucas. I don’t think there is anyone that fits that criteria. North Carolina situation screams to me that we best focus our energy in much more grounded projections.
 
Apr 2, 2025
66
202
33
We’ve got an entire year to prepare for a coaching change. Step one might be to get more realistic. Hurley isn’t coming here.
This is the silver lining. There is no need to stress over every little move still to be made, or not made between now and the start of the season. At this point it needs to go so badly that he is fired before the season is over. I don’t feel bad saying that after how he has handled this offseason. No plan whatsoever and refuses to talk to the media. He dug his own grave.
 
Feb 17, 2025
530
704
93
I think Lucas needs to show consistency more than 2 yrs before I would hand the keys over.He appears to be a good up and coming new coach.We might be surprised who is available a year from now with the circus that college basketball has become.
 
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*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
45,962
83,636
113
Hurley, McCollum, Lloyd, Otzelberger, Golden, Painter, Scheyer, Few, Pitino

None of those guys are leaving their current job for another college job.

You could maybe add Miller and Underwood to that list as well. Those guys both have everything they need to win where they’re at.

Our best chance might be Billy Donovan if the Magic dont hire him. I’ve seen conflicting things on his interest in coming back to college.

Jai Lucas i bet would take it. Ofcourse, if the JMI stuff is really as problematic as some have speculated, then we’re really going to have to go far down the list.
I think Otzelburger/McCastland/Miller/McCollum could all be convinced to leave for this job. The others I agree on.
 
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*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
45,962
83,636
113
I think Lucas needs to show consistency more than 2 yrs before I would hand the keys over.He appears to be a good up and coming new coach.We might be surprised who is available a year from now with the circus that college basketball has become.
He’s the type guy you have to hire early. Just like Golden.
 

Tri-Countycat

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
1,708
4,194
113
Well if Golden bolts after this year, Jai Lucas will likely replace him at his old school.