Pope: "This is a Place Like No Other in College Basketball"

New BYU Basketball assistant coach Mark Pope sat down with the local sports media on Friday, kidding that he "had to beg Coach Rose" to give him a job at a school he says is "unique, so unique, and that's just become more and more apparent to me...really understanding how unique and special this place is."

Leaving Wake Forest after a single season as an assistant to head coach Jeff Bzdelik, Pope says "I sprinted toward the opportunity to maybe be a part of" the BYU coaching staff after associate head coach Dave Rice left for UNLV.

"This is a place like no other in college basketball, and I'm really fortunate to be here."

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The former Kentucky Wildcat and nine-year pro veteran explained that BYU wasn't an option for him when he was choosing a college as a player.

"For a number of reasons, BYU was not on the list," Pope said. "It wasn't because I don't have the deepest respect for the program and the history, it just wasn't the right call for me at the time under those circumstances."

Answering a question about BYU as a coaching option, Pope said that "being an LDS guy in this sport, you are kind of always watching BYU."

Pope then added that "everybody in the country was watching BYU the last couple of years, because the program was so good and so fun to watch. The kids and the staff always carried themselves in such an exemplary manner."

Asked about the possibility of landing in Provo as a coach on the BYU staff, Pope said "I was keeping tabs on it, and always thought, 'man it would be really amazing to have an opportunity to coach there someday.'"

"We started hearing rumors about Coach Rice, and it jut worked out perfectly."

Pope joked that "I had to beg Coach Rose, begged and pleaded, day after day after day, and finally he said all right, I'll talk to you. I think he just got sick of me, so he let me come."

"This is an unbelievable opportunity to come work for him and be at this school."

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You can hear Coach Pope's press conference in its entirety by clicking on the "play" button in the "Cougar Cuts" box to the upper right. It's really a good session; I know you'll enjoy listening to it.

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Historically self-deprecating about his own playing talents despite helping to win a national championship at Kentucky, Pope returned to that theme, saying "I just wasn't very good...and there's no shame in that."

"Something special that Coach Rose has going here is that this game is like 82% art and 15% science; I left out the other three percent just to prove that it's really art, right?"

"This is about more than your shooting percentage and how high you can jump," said Pope. "This is about a team coming together and believing in themselves."

"Coach (Rose) has been gifted in doing that with his team, and that's something we get to share. You can go a long, long way in this game being a very average player if you're willing."

"Willing is such a powerful word, and I'm a good example of that," Pose said. "The (BYU players) will see me play on the court at some point and be like, 'he stinks'; and I wasn't any better when I was younger. But if you're willing to sacrifice for the team, and put in an unbelievable amount of work and effort, and if you're really dreaming about having a great college career... and then have the chance to play after, you should be able to do that, if you're willing. But there's nothing easy about that."

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At 6'10", Pope is expected to work with the BYU big men, although duties have yet to be formally assigned. Asked to assess the Cougar big men, Pope said the post players are "really talented...each of our guys has a really different package, where their skills lie. Helping them explore that is going to be good."

"From a distance, you have really fun combinations of 'bigs.' I think what's really intriguing about his group is how they'll complement each other."

Pope said he has spoken a couple of times with Brandon Davies, who is on track to re-join the basketball team if and when he is re-admitted to BYU. About the junior-to-be, Pope called Davies a "courageous kid; that's the first thing that comes to mind for me."

"He's unbelievably talented, and it seems like he's a soft-hearted kid," said Pope. "He has the potential to be a tremendous player, and a big-time person, big-time, and have an unbelievable story to share."

"I don't know (Davies) well, but I just see him as being one of those most special people that does something great in the world, because of the good experiences and the tough experiences he's had in his life...I can't wait to work with him."

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Asked about potential recruiting responsibilities, Pope said Rose will expect every coach to recruit. "I think there's a pretty communal approach to it; I've only been here a couple of days, but that's my guess. Try not to get in the way of what's happening, that's a big mantra for me: don't screw this thing up."

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Photo courtesy: Mark Philbrick, BYU Photo

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