Dan Hurley vs Mark Pope - Comparing coaching opposites, different temperaments, tactical styles and more

Many college basketball fans have seen Dan Hurley and Mark Pope as opposites.

Back-to-back champion Hurley employs an offensive strategy focusing heavily on ball screens and set plays. Pope, who replaced one-time national championship-winning coach John Calipari, brings in a fresh approach that relies on spacing and shooting.

Hurley's system has earned back-to-back national titles for UConn, a ton of lucrative offers from various collegiate and NBA teams and the admiration and respect of everyone in the basketball circles.

On the other hand, Pope has brought Kentucky to a 6-0 record in the 2024-25 college basketball season. It includes the stunning 77-72 victory over uber-talented Duke in the Champions Classic.

With this in mind, let's examine the differences between the two coaches.

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Dan Hurley focuses on ball screen while Mark Pope relies on fast-paced offense with a premium on shooting

Dan Hurley has been picking apart opposing defenses with his symphony on the hardwood offense, which relies heavily on-ball screen. His offensive ploy creates mismatches, giving players the best positions to succeed.

This was evident last season as the Huskies ranked 12th in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom and is tied for first with Alabama in points per possession at 1.23 per game.

The big man is an important piece in UConn's strategy. He should be capable of shooting 3-pointers as the ball screen puts you in a position where even a center can play from the outside.

UConn employs a fast-paced transition game and off-ball screening to outclass tough opposition. Hurley has a penchant for controlling the tempo and executes his offense through half-court sets.

Meanwhile, Mark Pope likes to set up Kentucky's halfcourt set as soon as possible. He wants his team to get the ball over the half-court line in the first three seconds of the shot clock on every possession.

This aims to get a shot up within the first 14 seconds of the shot clock. Their efficient offense has worked for the team, winning five straight regular season games.

The less-than-15-second ploy counts for 63% of Kentucky's possessions in its first seven games under Pope, including two exhibition games against Kentucky Wesleyan and Minnesota State Mankato.

The Wildcats' average offensive possession length is 14.4 seconds, making them the fifth-fastest offense in the nation and the fastest high-major offense in the country.

Kentucky has scored 100 or more points in six games this season and has made 10 3-pointers in five outings. According to KenPom, It has the 11th-ranked adjusted offensive efficiency rating and third-ranked effective field goal percentage.

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Hot and cold: Fiery and furious Dan Hurley vs cool customer Mark Pope

Dan Hurley has proven to be "Bobby Knight-lite" in intensity. He lets it all out when there's something wrong whether it's his players or the officiating. There were instances when he vented his anger on his players when a previously-choreographed play failed to materialize.

Hurley is a perfectionist. He always pays attention to detail and those qualities have given UConn back-to-back national championships. Recently, he let everything all out when he lashed out at the officiating crew when two calls went against his team.

In the Huskies' game against the Memphis Tigers on Monday, he was whistled for a technical foul when he criticized the referees after freshman Liam McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul. The call proved costly, allowing Memphis to escape with a 99-97 win, and inflicting UConn's first loss of the season.

He continued venting his anger on the game officials post-game, calling them "a complete joke."

He followed this up in UConn's one-point loss to Colorado when he needed to be restrained by his coaching staff after an apparent no-call involving McNeeley with about 20 seconds left in the game. A fuming Hurley tried to contest the call again but was held off during a timeout.

However, it was different on the other shade of blue, as Pope, a former Wildcats captain of the 1996 national title-winning team, keeps his cool demeanor on the court.

His calm and collected behavior has been his staple in his coaching stints with Utah Valley and BYU and he carried it over in Lexington as the lead gaffer for the Wildcats.

College basketball fans admire Pope's approach to officiating. He lets the calls as they are, believing the players can make or break games.

Another great approach for the 52-year-old mentor is he let his wife, Lee Anne, handle the referees and focus on the game at hand.

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Kentucky achieves early gains, UConn going into a similar trend in the 2022-23 season

Mark Pope's strategy, which emphasizes floor spacing, has helped Kentucky succeed this season. The Wildcats are 6-0 and have climbed from No. 23 in the initial AP polls to No. 8 in the latest weekly tally by media covering the NCAA beat.

Kentucky's offense has been fluid, averaging 95.3 points per game. The Wildcats have been solid on defense, allowing 67 points per contest. They've been tested once against Duke, eventually winning the game thanks to their excellent defense that forced No. 1 freshman Cooper Flagg to concede two turnovers in the crucial moments of the second half.

It remains to be seen if Pope will keep his cool demeanor on the court, especially when his team absorbs a controversial loss — similar to what Hurley is experiencing right now with UConn.

The latest setbacks are similar to the Huskies' experience in the 2022-23 regular season. They suffered five losses in six games, including a string of two and three straight defeats between Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 18, 2023.

Overall, UConn lost eight games that year, which motivated Dan Hurley to direct a big-time surge in the NCAA Tournament. They won over Iowa, Saint Mary's, Arkansas, Gonzaga, Miami and San Diego State to capture the national championship.

This season, the Huskies lost two straight close games against Memphis and Colorado, which involved Hurley venting his anger on the referees.