BYU
Out: Mark Pope
In: Kevin Young
Grade: A-
Before landing the BYU job, Kevin Young had been mentioned in multiple NBA coaching searches based on his success with the Phoenix Suns staff. Making the jump to college is a surprise twist which builds intrigue for the coach and the program.
Given the religious aspect of the candidate pool, this hire is about as flashy as possible. The differences between college and professional basketball could be minimized in this spot due to all the reasons BYU is a unique job.
Kentucky
Out: John Calipari
In: Mark Pope
Grade: C-
Kentucky lands on former team captain Mark Pope after publicly swinging and missing on candidates like Scott Drew and Dan Hurley. Before the search got started, fan favorites Nate Oats and Jay Wright made it clear they were not interested.
This is not the hire anyone envisioned following a divorce from John Calipari, bringing zero career NCAA Tournament wins to the table.