By Keith Taylor
Keith Taylor
Kentucky coach Mark Pope likes the idea of playing three exhibition games before the season opener a big part of preseason training camp.
“These exhibitions are so important because, aside from these exhibitions, you only get to learn about yourself from testing yourself,” Pope said. “These games where we get to be tested by other people, we’re just so excited to cull the data from them and kind of see where we can grow.”
The No. 23 Wildcats opened the exhibition season with a 69-49 win over Arkansas Little Rock last Friday, a game, Pope says, was an educational experience for his squad.
“We were so desperate to go play a game, and it’s just been such great learning and education for our guys who are so hungry to grow,” he said.
While Travis Ford’s Trojans provided a similar style as Kentucky on the defensive end, the Red Raiders are more of a “gravity team.”
“They’re a little bit like us,” Pope said. “They shoot the ball incredibly well, which means you have to guard in space. There’s going to be a lot of isolation feel to it, and seeing how our defensive rotations go, is going to be important for us.
“They play with tremendous pace and they’ll push in transition. Our transition defense going to be tested as well as a ton of other things. They have really talented veteran personnel and it’ll give us a chance to take a look at that.”
Pope added the Wildcats pay more attention to detail compared to a regular-season setting.”
“This is training camp time,” Pope said. “This is a time where we’re focused on growing. We’re always focused on winning. But if there’s ever a time when growing almost measures up to winning, in terms of priority, it’s right now, and that’s what this is for. That’s what these games are for: is to kind of figure out, give yourself a chance to learn as much as you possibly can about your guys.”
Pulling for Will
Pope is a fan of Kentucky football coach Will Stein and said watching the team’s success has been “really fun.” The Wildcats (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) are ranked No. 12 going into Saturday’s contest against Vanderbilt.
“I’m pulling for Will like crazy,” Pope said. “He’s doing an unbelievable job. He took on a huge job here, and he’s performing at a great level. I think our athletic department is really unified. I think that’s important. I think us moving all in the same direction is really important because we do.”
He added that his father-in-law, Lynn Archibald, provided words of wisdom when it comes to supporting each other.
“When the sun’s shining on you, it’s also shining on me, unless I’m running away to the shade, right?” Pope said. “That’s how it works in a really positive environment in the athletic department, and I think that’s what we have.
“I think that’s what we work hard to get. In an athletic department-wide setting, we know that our successes are all shared by each other. On a very simple fan setting, it’s fun to be in Kroger Field right now. The place is on fire. It’s awesome.”
Injury update
Kam Williams is listed as week-to-week and is “progressing nicely.” Williams began his progression back to practice this week. … Trent Noah has a hamstring injury, and there’s no timeline on his return … Jerone Morton is continuing to work through his knee injury and getting re-evaluated by medical staff.