A fan told Mark Pope at BYU he could 'easily' coach at Kentucky one day. His response? "It would be an honor, just as it was when I wore the uniform."

Mark Pope‘s time at Kentucky has been something of a Big Blue Nation fan fiction, the former captain of the 1996 national championship team returning to Lexington to coach at his alma mater, knocking down every barrier in his way since the minute he arrived. He built an elite coaching staff and a competitive roster, then laid a strong foundation on the recruiting trail before stacking up early wins in his debut season.

Check, check, check.

What if I told you, though, Pope spoke his future as the head coach at Kentucky into existence way back when, starting as a player and then when working his way up the ranks as a coach? He did it with the help of a member of BBN named Linda, who has been a supporter of his since his playing days in blue and white.

She called into Pope’s first call-in radio show of the season on Monday and reminded him of their 30-year history together dating back to that ’96 title. Linda and her husband were there at the trophy presentation in April of 1996 where Pope stayed after to sign autographs and talk to fans as long as security would let him. She responded by sending him a token of appreciation: a magnet.

“It’s not so much a question. It’s just that I want to tell him welcome home,” Linda told Pope. “My experiences with him have been going on, it feels like since ’96 when my husband and I drove from Louisville to Lexington to welcome the team home with the trophy. Mark, you stayed out there the longest. You stayed out there and talked to all of us until there were no more people. And that affected me so much that I sent you a little magnet that said how special you were way back then.”

Fast forward a few decades later with Pope moving past his playing days and starting his career as a coach. He got his first shot as a head coach at Utah Valley before taking over at BYU — now in the Big 12. That same fan wrote him a letter during his time in Provo, telling him she believed in his future as the head coach at his alma mater, one day making his return to Lexington to coach the Wildcats.

His response at the time? Well, it’ll tug at your heartstrings a bit.

“I wrote to you about two or three years ago at BYU, and I told you that I could very easily see you being our coach one day,” Linda continued. “And you wrote back to me, and you said, ‘It would be an honor, as it was when I wore the uniform.’ You were so special. Then I got you, when you got there in Lexington (as coach), I got you a little plaque, it was called the difference maker. I sent it to you because you make a big difference, and it’s just amazing the person you are.”

Pope, clearly taken aback with emotion, thanked Linda not only for the gifts dating back three decades, but her kindness and support in general. It’s fans like Linda that make Big Blue Nation one of a kind, and the Kentucky head coach made that clear to her on the phone call.

“Linda, that’s so kind. I can’t say how much I appreciate you,” Pope said. “I’m so grateful for the gifts, for sure, but also just grateful for the incredible kindness of you and all of BBN, right? Anybody that gets to be a part of this family is really blessed. I’m super grateful for you.”

It doesn’t get much better than that.