Kentucky
How Mark Pope’s First Year at Kentucky Stacks Up Against His Coaching Peers
The dust has settled on Mark Pope’s first season at Kentucky, and although it ended in disappointing fashion, I think most fans would agree it was a success. As hungry as Big Blue Nation is for the program to return to glory, Pope’s first squad provided some major highs, including an NCAA record eight wins over AP Top 15 teams and a return to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
The Cats also became beloved by fans, a ragtag group assembled in a matter of weeks from mostly smaller schools through the transfer portal. They battled injuries and played with a chip on their shoulder and a genuine appreciation for the Kentucky jersey, guided by Pope, a former team captain and national champion. There were some lows (the loss to Tennessee in the Sweet 16, the loss to Arkansas in John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena); however, Pope and the Cats infused the program and fanbase with some needed joy and hope for the future.
Work is underway on year two. While we wait to see what that looks like, I thought it’d be good to compare Pope’s first season to some of his coaching counterparts. Obviously, Kentucky’s reputation as a blueblood, the current state of the sport with the transfer portal and NIL, and the SEC’s strength this season are important variables, but Pope’s record stacks up pretty well.
Mark Pope, Kentucky (2024-25)
Final Record: 24-12 (.667)
Regular Season Record: 21-10
SEC Record: 10-8 (6th)
SEC Tournament: 1-1 (Quarterfinals)
NCAA Tournament: 2-1 (Sweet 16)
As mentioned, the Cats tallied an NCAA record eight wins over AP Top 15 teams and made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019, all while dealing with injuries to several starters. Pope’s offense ranked in the top ten nationally throughout the year, and the Cats’ 341 three-pointers broke the school record for most in a season.
Nate Oats, Alabama (2019-20)
Final Record: 16-15 (.516)
Regular Season Record: 16-15
SEC Record/Finish: 8-10 (9th)
SEC Tournament: N/A (Canceled due to COVID)
NCAA Tournament: N/A (Canceled due to COVID)
A former math teacher, Nate Oats came to Alabama after four seasons at Buffalo, where he led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament in three seasons, losing to Kentucky in the second round in 2018. His fast-paced, five-out offense has become one of the most successful in the sport (as evidenced by the Crimson Tide’s record 25 threes in the vs. BYU in the Sweet 16), but it took him at least one season to get his system in place.
Alabama went 16-15 in Oats’ first year in Tuscaloosa, losing four of its last six games. The NCAA Tournament was canceled that season due to COVID, but the Crimson Tide would have been on the outside looking in, barring a strong run in the SEC Tournament. Since then, Alabama has made the NCAA Tournament each season, reaching the Final Four in 2024 and the Elite Eight in 2025.
Bruce Pearl, Auburn (2014-15)
Final Record: 15-20 (.428)
Regular Season Record: 12-19
SEC Record/Finish: 4-14 (13th)
SEC Tournament: 3-1 (Semifinals)
NCAA Tournament: Didn’t make field
Pearl inherited an Auburn team that went 14-16 under Tony Barbee. He still had five months left on his show-cause order from his NCAA violations at Tennessee, so he wasn’t able to contact recruits during the summer recruiting period. The Tigers went 15-20 that season, losing to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament semifinals. In the decade since, Pearl has steadily built Auburn into a perennial power, leading the Tigers to two Final Fours (2019, 2025). The Tigers are the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament and will face Florida for a spot in the national championship game on Saturday.
Todd Golden, Florida (2022-23)
Final Record: 16-17 (.484)
Regular Season Record: 16-15
SEC Record/Finish: 9-9 (8th)
SEC Tournament: 0-1
NCAA Tournament: Didn’t make field (NIT First Round)
Golden succeeded Mike White, who left Florida for Georgia. It was a big step up for Golden, who had just led San Francisco to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. The Gators did not make the NCAA Tournament in Golden’s first season, finishing the season 16-17 with a loss in the first round of the NIT, but there were bright spots, including a win over No. 2 Tennessee.
Obviously, Florida’s been on the rise since then, winning 24 games in Golden’s second season and now reaching the Final Four in his third. A young coach with a very modern offense, Golden is a success story in the new age of college basketball.
Rick Barnes, Tennessee (2015-16)
Final Record: 15-19 (.441)
Regular Season Record: 13-18
SEC Record/Finish: 6-12 (12th)
SEC Tournament: 2-1 (Quarterfinals)
NCAA Tournament: Didn’t make field
Barnes came to Tennessee after being fired by Texas, where he spent 17 seasons. He replaced Cuonzo Martin, becoming the third coach in as many seasons for the Vols. It took a few seasons for Barnes to get rolling in Knoxville, but in his third year, he had Tennessee back in the NCAA Tournament, and the Vols have made it every year since (omitting 2020, when the tournament was canceled due to COVID). As we know, they’ve still never made it past the Elite Eight.
John Calipari, Arkansas (2024-25)
Final Record: 22-14 (.611)
Regular Season Record: 19-12
SEC Record/Finish: 8-10 (9th)
SEC Tournament: 1-1 (2nd Round)
NCAA Tournament: 2-1 (Sweet 16)
You know all about John Calipari’s history before taking the Arkansas job. After leaving Kentucky for Fayetteville, Calipari assembled a roster with one of the biggest NIL budgets in college basketball. The Razorbacks struggled to start SEC play, losing six of their first seven conference games, but the win over Kentucky in Rupp lit a fire under the squad, which made it to the Sweet 16, the furthest Calipari had gone since 2019. The turnaround was commendable, but given the resources, the jury is still out on whether the Cal era at Arkansas will be deemed a success.
Pat Kelsey, Louisville (2024-25)
Final Record: 27-8 (.771)
Regular Season Record: 25-6
ACC Record/Finish: 18-2 (2nd)
ACC Tournament: 2-1 (Finals)
NCAA Tournament: 0-1 (1st Round)
There was nowhere for Louisville to go but up in Pat Kelsey’s first season. The Cards went from finishing last in the ACC in the previous two seasons under Kenny Payne to finishing second with an 18-2 conference record. They lost to Duke in the ACC Tournament championship and finished No. 10 in the AP Poll, even though they drew a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Creighton in the first round. Kelsey took home ACC Coach of the Year honors. The ACC was very weak this season, but there’s no doubt that Kelsey has the Cards on the right track — even if he lost his first game against Kentucky, 93-85 at Rupp Arena.
Mike Woodson, Indiana (2021-22)
Final Record: 21-14 (.600)
Regular Season Record: 18-12
Big Ten Record/Finish: 9-11 (9th)
Big Ten Tournament: 2-1 (Semifinals)
NCAA Tournament: 1-1 (First Round – Started in the First Four)
How about another blueblood that kept it in the family? In 2021, Mike Woodson returned to Indiana, where he played for Bobby Knight from 1976 to 80. In his first season, he led the Hoosiers back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016, where they lost to Saint Mary’s in the first round after beating Wyoming in the First Four. The Hoosiers went 2-6 against AP Top 25 opponents during the regular season but made it to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament, knocking off No. 1 seed Illinois in the process. A decent first year, but, as we know, Woodson’s run at Indiana ended in February 2025, when he stepped down after four seasons.
Jon Scheyer, Duke (2022-23)
Final Record: 27-9 (.750)
Regular Season Record: 23-8
ACC Record/Finish: 14-6 (3rd)
ACC Tournament: 3-0 (ACC Title)
NCAA Tournament: 1-1 (2nd Round)
Scheyer was tasked with the impossible: replacing Mike Krzyzewski. Obviously, three seasons in, he’s doing pretty well, leading the Blue Devils back to the Final Four, but even his first season could be considered a success. Scheyer brought in a top recruiting class and won the ACC Tournament, ultimately losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Tennessee.
In terms of a blueblood program with a lot of resources, Scheyer’s success is enviable, although he is still leaning on elite freshmen talent while the rest of college basketball is focusing on the transfer portal.
Bill Self, Kansas (2003-04)
Final Record: 24-9 (.727)
Regular Season Record: 20-7
Big 12 Record/Finish: 12-4 (2nd)
Big 12 Tournament: 1-1 (Semifinals)
NCAA Tournament: 3-1 (Elite Eight)
So much has changed in college basketball since 2003 that it seems silly to include Self’s first year at Kansas in this exercise, but we’ve gotten this far, so why not? Self replaced Roy Williams, who left for North Carolina after the Jayhawks lost in the 2003 national championship game to Syracuse. In just his first season, Self led Kansas to a second-place finish in the Big 12 and the Elite Eight, where the Jayhawks lost to Georgia Tech.
Since then, Kansas has won two national championships and has been the picture of sustained success — until recently. The Jayhawks, who were ranked No. 1 in the AP Preseason Poll, are coming off their second straight 10+ loss season, losing to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, their first first-round exit since Self’s third season.
Mark Pope’s 1st season at Kentucky compared to other coaches
| Coach | School | Season | Final Record | Conference Record/Finish | NCAA Tournament |
| Mark Pope | Kentucky | 2024-25 | 24-12 (.667) | SEC 10-8 (6th) | 2-1 (Sweet 16) |
| Nate Oats | Alabama | 2019-20 | 16-15 (.516) | SEC 8-10 (9th) | N/A (Canceled due to COVID) |
| Bruce Pearl | Auburn | 2014-15 | 15-20 (.429) | SEC 4-14 (13th) | Didn’t make field |
| Todd Golden | Florida | 2022-23 | 16-17 (.484) | SEC 9-9 (8th) | Didn’t make field |
| Rick Barnes | Tennessee | 2015-16 | 15-19 (.441) | SEC 6-12 (12th) | Didn’t make field |
| John Calipari | Arkansas | 2024-25 | 22-14 (.611) | SEC 8-10 (9th) | 2-1 (Sweet 16) |
| Pat Kelsey | Louisville | 2024-25 | 27-8 (.771) | ACC 18-2 (2nd) | 0-1 (1st Round) |
| Mike Woodson | Indiana | 2021-22 | 21-14 (.600) | Big Ten 9-11 (9th) | 1-1 (1st Round – Started in the First Four) |
| Jon Scheyer | Duke | 2022-23 | 27-9 (.750) | ACC 14-6 (3rd) | 1-1 (2nd Round) |
| Bill Self | Kansas | 2003-04 | 24-9 (.727) | Big 12 12-4 (2nd) | 3-1 (Elite Eight) |
Kentucky
Fayette County school board chair, KEA sue to block Kentucky law that would oust current members
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Fayette County Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy and the Kentucky Education Association have filed a lawsuit challenging a newly enacted Kentucky law that would overhaul the governance structure of Fayette County Public Schools and force all current board members out of office at the end of 2026.
The lawsuit names the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Fayette County Board of Elections and Fayette County election officials as defendants.
At the center of the legal challenge is Senate Bill 4, which lawmakers passed over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto earlier this year.
Under the law, the seven-member Fayette County Board of Education would be reduced to five district-based seats, the lawsuit reads. The terms of all current board members would end Dec. 31, 2026, and new elections would be held for the restructured board.
The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional and asks the court to block its implementation, including any election-related actions tied to the measure.
Court filings contend the legislation unlawfully targets a single school district and interferes with the terms of duly elected local officials. Plaintiffs also argue the law violates provisions of the Kentucky Constitution governing local elections and public officeholders.
Attorneys included exhibits detailing criticism of Murphy and Fayette County Public Schools leadership from state lawmakers, including a petition seeking Murphy’s removal and a letter from state Sen. Chris McDaniel calling for the resignations of Murphy and Superintendent Demetrus Liggins.
The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the law is invalid and requests expedited review from the court due to upcoming election deadlines.
No hearing date had been announced as of Wednesday.
The lawsuit comes as Fayette County Public Schools continues to face scrutiny over budgeting decisions, district spending and governance issues that have drawn attention from state lawmakers over the past year.
In a statement, Representative Matt Lockett criticized Murphy as he highlighted what he stated are district failures under Murphy.
“This lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the disaster that Fayette County Public Schools is under Tyler Murphy’s leadership as board chair. Under his watch, the district has spiraled into a financial crisis so severe that it is now seeking to borrow up to $110 million simply to keep the lights on and make it through the school year. Students have been failed. Families have been failed. Teachers and staff have been failed. Taxpayers have been failed. And the Lexington community has been left paying the price for years of mismanagement and poor oversight.
Rather than taking responsibility for the district’s financial failures and focusing on what is best for students, he has chosen to file a lawsuit challenging a law that was duly passed by the General Assembly and enacted through the constitutional process. He may be emboldened by recent rulings by activist judges, but there are no legitimate grounds for overturning a duly enacted statute simply because you can’t do the right thing by this community. The General Assembly has both the authority and the responsibility to establish standards for public offices and governance structures across the Commonwealth.
At a time when Fayette County schools are facing unprecedented financial turmoil, the focus should be on accountability, transparency, and fixing the problems that have brought the district to this point. The only filing Fayette County taxpayers should be expecting from Mr. Murphy is his resignation.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been causing fear around the world, and a Lexington doctor is preparing in the event a case is found in Kentucky.
According to the CDC, there have been 49 deaths and over 300 confirmed cases across the two countries, with more suspected cases still being investigated.
UK Healthcare is working to become a Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Center through the National Special Pathogen System, which would allow the facility to treat Ebola patients in-house.
Dr. Nicholas Van Sickels, an infectious disease physician at UK Healthcare, said the current outbreak is serious, but Kentucky residents are not at significant risk.
“Ebola scares people just because of the mortality, the death rate, associated with it and some of the long term consequences when you do survive. Fortunately, the strain that we’re seeing in Eastern (Democratic Republic of Congo) is thought to be not as deadly, but either way it’s a very serious disease. It carries a lot of stigma and fear,” Van Sickels said.
Here in Kentucky, however, is a very safe environment, Dr. Van Sickels said.
Currently, Dr. Van Sickels says UK Healthcare operates as an assessment hospital, meaning it can evaluate patients with symptoms who have traveled to regions with active outbreaks, coordinate testing with the state, and transfer patients to higher-level care centers if needed.
Once the Level 2 designation is complete, UK Healthcare will be the only facility in Kentucky with that capability.
“We’re the only facility in Kentucky that is able to have a level 2 designation once we finish this grant award and get approved,” Dr. Van Sickels said.
In January 2026, UK Healthcare received a grant from the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), the governing body of the National Special Pathogen System.
“It’s approximately half a million dollars to transform our institution,” Van Sickels said.
The funding has been used to run simulation drills in coordination with Lexington Fire, EMS, and the state health department. The grant also enabled UK Healthcare to upgrade its protective outerwear, with all seam points covered to provide additional protection. Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids.
During a recent site visit and simulation, evaluators identified vulnerabilities in the facility’s previous protective suits.
“When we had our site visit and had our stimulation, for example, they said that the seams that we had on our old suits, you could pull and stretch, and that they were rather porous,” Van Sickels said.
Van Sickels had been working on the preparedness project since the beginning of the year.
Citing lessons learned from the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic, which spread to the U.S. and resulted in 4 cases and 1 death.
“Ebola 2014 taught a lot of hospitals in the US about high consequence infections, established what is now NETEC, the educating body for our country, uh, about high consequence pathogens,” Van Sickels said.
“We’re constantly wanting to push preparedness, uh, because that is the key to success in evading further outbreaks,” Van Sickels said.
UK Healthcare expects to complete its Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Center designation by the end of summer.
The Kentucky Wildcats have had some fits with West Virginia over the past few days, as the baseball team was sent home by the Mountaineers on Monday night. Now, they have flipped a Wildcat commit.
Bryian Duncan Jr., a Cario, Georgia native, committed to the Wildcats in March and has now flipped to West Virginia. The 3-star running back had a recent visit to Morgantown, then announced his commitment to the Mountaineers.
Duncan, a 5-foot-9 player who can play out wide and at running back, is the No. 60-ranked ATH in the nation and the No. 89 player in Georgia, according to 247 Sports. He’ll play in the Big 12 with the Mountaineers, giving himself a good opportunity to become a true gadget guy with legit speed.
This isn’t a big disappointment for the Wildcats, as they’ll collect nearly 10 commitments as the summer rolls on and already have a pretty loaded RB room for the class of 2027. Kelsey Gerald and Mason Ball are two tailbacks who have already pledged their commitment to the program.
Head coach Will Stein and Co. have been stellar on the recruiting trail as they have the 13th-best class overall and the fourth-ranked class in the SEC, according to 247 Sports. Expect the Cats to pick up a few more commits here soon and rise in the rankings.
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