‘I understand the assignment.’ A packed Rupp Arena welcomes new Kentucky coach Mark Pope.

New University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope decided there was no time like the present to connect with Big Blue Nation on Sunday afternoon.

As fans lined up eager to get inside for their first live look at the new boss in Kentucky blue, Pope surprised the throng by walking among them on his way inside Rupp Arena for his open-to-the-public introductory news conference.

Amid speculation that Kentucky basketball might be too big for a coach with Pope’s level of experience, the former BYU head man took that challenge head on, showing he’s a “man of the people” on his first day on the job.

With the limelight — and the sunshine — on full blast, Pope high-fived, fist bumped and hugged fans thrilled with their first impression of the head coach.

Once inside, Pope was greeted by a cheering, chanting crowd that filled Rupp Arena to capacity — assembled on a warm spring day for a press conference.

‘Crazy’ Kentucky fans? There you go.

It was so crazy, in fact, that Pope’s arrival was delayed more than 15 minutes to allow more fans into the arena.

The atmosphere inside, complete with music, scoreboard video, the UK band and live TV coverage, was every bit the match for some of the biggest games played in Kentucky’s basketball palace.

Pope arrived inside Rupp Arena aboard a bus filled with former UK players and others associated with the program through the years.

Pope stepped out of the bus holding up the 1996 national championship trophy, the team for which he was captain.

Tom Leach, radio voice of the Wildcats and emcee for Sunday’s event, welcomed Pope with the words “The captain is now the coach!”

After introductions by athletic director Mitch Barnhart, who presented the new UK coach with a Kentucky jersey, Pope stepped up to the microphone and addressed the fans.

“You’ve all seen these things all the time,” Pope said as he surveyed the crowd. “But nobody in the world has ever seen anything like this.”

Pope then had to pause his remarks as a chant of “Go Big Blue” thundered throughout Rupp Arena.

“Every coach in America comes to these introductory press conferences and tries to manage expectations,” Pope said. “We don’t do that at Kentucky. ...”

“I understand the assignment. We are here to win banners.

“And as we go through this journey. We’re here to win banners in Nashville because you guys turn out in Nashville like nobody else and that matters,” Pope added, in reference to the annual Southeastern Conference Tournament.

“And our job here is to win banners in the Final Four and the national championship. That’s our job.”

Pope also said he embraces the pressure that comes with Kentucky basketball.

“With those high expectations inevitably is going to come criticism,” he said. “But I don’t want you guys to worry. Because I’m on a group chat with every single one of my ‘96 championship teammates. And they will destroy me every time something goes wrong.”

Pope later proceeded to lead the Rupp Arena crowd in an enthusiastic chant of “C-A-T-S, Cats, Cats Cats!”

Pope then introduced his family —wife Lee Ann and daughters Ella, Avery, Layla, and Shay.

“This is 100 percent a true story,” Pope said. “When Mitch offered us the job, he gave us a couple hours to consult as a family. We didn’t need it. He knew I would walk all the way here to take this job. But as we gathered the girls from all their various places, (daughter) Layla Pope walks in the door and, I kid you not, her first words were, because she knows the deal, ‘Tell me who’s in the house tonight, U-K! She did exactly that.”

Pope numerous times during his introductory remarks referenced his reverence for the Kentucky program.

“It is the greatest honor that I will ever have in my professional, or this family, career to be able to come back here and do this with you.” Pope said. “The difference between Kentucky and every other program in the country is that this is not my team. It’s not even our team (pointing at those assembled on the floor). It is OUR team (gesturing to the entire arena).”

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