Collin Chandler might be the most polarizing figure in the Big Blue Nation right now.
After watching one of the most clutch players all season struggle down the stretch of a 22-14 season, a massive chunk of the fanbase is actively wondering if he is worth a high-priced NIL return. And while a vocal segment of the fanbase seems ready to completely move on from the Mark Pope era, Chandler is ready to go to war for the man who brought him to Lexington.
“We love Coach Pope. I’ve believed in Coach Pope since I was 15 years old," Chandler said following the season-ending loss. "I know what he can do, what he can be. The type of person he is. A type of person like that finds success. I’m riding with Coach Pope.”
It is a passionate defense. It is exactly what you want a player to say about his leader. But sometimes change can be good.
The power of a coaching reset
We heard this exact same type of passionate player defense surrounding Mark Stoops right before the end of his tenure. Players swore by the culture and defended the head coach to the bitter end.
But sometimes, a program just desperately needs a jolt of new energy. While new head football coach Will Stein has yet to coach a single game on the sideline at Kroger Field, nearly everyone can already see the immediate upgrades in recruiting and overall excitement that his new staff has injected into the building.
Let's address the elephant in the room: Mark Pope is not going anywhere. But Pope can still capture that exact same "new era" excitement as long as he shakes things up.
The looming staff shakeup
The good news for frustrated fans is that the people sitting next to Pope on the bench are almost certainly going to change. Outside of Mikhail McLean, who has one year remaining on his deal, the rest of Pope's coaching staff is currently out of contract.
This is the exact reset button the basketball program needs. Pope must use this offseason to completely overhaul his operation. He needs to hire a dedicated General Manager to navigate the modern roster landscape, build a formidable, high-level coaching staff, and ensure they are investing in the right guys in the transfer portal that fit his style.
He has to get back to Mark Pope basketball.
The unanswered question
Mark Pope certainly seems to believe that Collin Chandler is one of those "right guys" to invest in moving forward. Chandler, in turn, clearly believes in Mark Pope the person.
But it is incredibly telling that even during his impassioned defense of his head coach, Chandler stopped short of actually confirming he would be back in a Kentucky uniform next season.
So while he may believe in his head coach, he may not believe in him to stay.