At some point or another, it’s fair to admit you’ve wondered if the Mark Pope you see publicly is the same guy behind the scenes. On the surface, he appears to be an absolute gem of a human and a workhorse who refuses to be out-hustled. He’s crushed every PR move from the minute he took the job, starting with the introductory press conference at Rupp Arena through the staff- and roster-building processes and to close out his first summer recruiting cycle. Even the extra-curricular activities are going well, Pope prioritizing the alumni and getting his players out in the community to use this platform for good.
Something has got to give somewhere eventually, right? Maybe one skeleton in his closet or two?
If there are, his players certainly haven’t found any yet.
“What you see what you get, there’s no false advertisement with him,” Dayton transfer Koby Brea said Tuesday. “He’s an amazing human being.”
Pope is charismatic …