Rick Pitino to Return to UK for a Kentucky Football Game

This Friday Big Blue Madness will serve as the unofficial tip-off to the Mark Pope era of Kentucky basketball. On the following day, his former coach is returning to the University of Kentucky for the first time since 2015.

Yesterday Matt Jones hinted that Rick Pitino may attend the Homecoming football game on Saturday between Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Pitino confirmed to Adam Zagoria that he will be on the sideline at Kroger Field on Saturday.

Pitino shared on social media he will be attending the football game, but did not share whether or not a visit to Big Blue Madness is also on the docket.

Yes, I will be flying in for the UK/Vandy game on Sat. I'll be on the sidelines helping Coach Stoops 😉

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) October 8, 2024

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The last time we saw Rick Pitino at a UK sporting event, he was flipping off Kentucky fans in Rupp Arena after his Louisville Cardinals lost 75-73. He denied using the obscene gesture, but we all knew exactly what he was doing.

It’s been a long time since he was on the sidelines for the Cardinals. He was fired by UofL just ahead of the 2017-18 season. Pitino spent a couple of years coaching in the Greek basketball league before returning to the college ranks at Iona. He took the Gaels to two NCAA Tournaments in three years, leading to his current position in the Big East as the St. John’s head coach.

The Rick Pitino Kentucky Rehabilitation Tour hit critical mass when Mark Pope was hired this spring. The day after the news broke, the 1996 National Championship coach went on a press tour to back his captain as the right choice to be the Cats’ head coach. He went so far as to say he would donate to the Kentucky basketball NIL fund. He later admitted he donates to the Kentucky football NIL efforts.

We’ve almost come full circle on the coach who rose Kentucky from the ashes of probation, then served as the villain as the coach of the Louisville Cardinals. This weekend may serve as the final chapter of his Kentucky comeback story.

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