Texas Needs More from Jordan Pope - And Time’s Running Out
AUSTIN, Texas - As the Texas Longhorns prepare to host Ole Miss this Saturday, senior guard Jordan Pope finds himself at a pivotal crossroads. The Rebels come in reeling from a four-game skid, and the Longhorns have a golden opportunity to notch a third straight conference win - something Pope has never done in his college career.
But the spotlight isn’t just on Texas’ momentum. It’s squarely on Pope and what, exactly, he brings to the floor.
Let’s be clear: Pope is no stranger to tough seasons. During his two years at Oregon State, the Beavers struggled mightily in Pac-12 play, finishing with identical 5-15 records in back-to-back years. And while Pope put up solid scoring numbers - 12.6 points per game as a freshman, 17.6 as a sophomore - his game often lacked the kind of all-around impact that turns stats into wins.
This season at Texas, the same questions are resurfacing, only louder. Through nine SEC games, Pope has failed to record an assist in four of them. His assist rate has dropped sharply from last year, and in conference play, his turnover rate has actually surpassed his assist rate - a troubling trend for someone who was brought in to help steer the offense.
There are flashes of what Pope can be. His 28-point outburst in a road win over Alabama was electric - the kind of performance that can swing a game and energize a locker room.
But even that night came with just one assist and four fouls. It was a sugar rush, no doubt - thrilling in the moment, but lacking lasting substance.
Then there are the games where the impact just isn’t there. Against Kansas City, he scored two points and didn’t register a single assist.
In a blowout loss to Tennessee, he went scoreless and was benched in the second half. And most recently, in a win over South Carolina, Pope managed just three points in 26 minutes.
His lone basket came with under six minutes to play, and he finished 1-of-6 from the field, missing all four of his three-point attempts. He added a rebound, a steal, and a turnover.
That was it.
In fact, Pope was the only Longhorn to finish with a negative plus-minus in that game, at minus-two. Afterward, head coach Sean Miller didn’t hold back.
“He didn’t play well tonight,” Miller said. “As a matter of fact, I don’t know what he did. So we need more from him - he’s a senior.”
One play summed up the night - and perhaps Pope’s season. In the second half, he boxed out and got in position for a defensive rebound, only to accidentally tip the ball into South Carolina’s basket.
A hustle play gone wrong, but also a reminder of his ongoing struggles to make a tangible impact. At that point, he’d scored one point for Texas - and two for the Gamecocks.
Rebounding has been a consistent weak spot for Pope, who ranks last on the team in that category. But it’s not just about the boards.
His defensive metrics are also underwhelming. He’s tied for the second-lowest steal rate on the roster and routinely struggles with on-ball defense, particularly when switching on screens.
That’s one reason Texas has leaned heavily on drop coverage in pick-and-roll situations - a scheme designed to protect weaker defenders from being exposed.
And then there’s the fouling. Pope’s effort isn’t in question, but it often leads to unnecessary shooting fouls, especially when he’s late contesting jump shots. It’s the kind of thing that drives coaches - and Miller in particular - up the wall.
“He told me he was a point guard, so that’s easy, right?” Miller said. “He told me he was a point guard, and we’ve given him that opportunity, and he’s played some great basketball this year.”
But the numbers tell a different story. Pope’s assist rate this season is lower than what Texas got last year from Tre Johnson - and more in line with forward Arthur Kaluma, who’s had to take on extra playmaking responsibilities due to Pope’s limitations.
Even when Pope starts at the one, the offense often runs through junior wing Dailyn Swain, who leads the team in both scoring and assists. Swain has 28 more assists than Pope, despite playing a different position.
Graduate guard Tramon Mark is just one assist behind Pope, and junior guard Simeon Wilcher - who’s logged nearly 200 fewer minutes - is only four behind.
Pope’s offensive profile is also telling. Of his 229 field-goal attempts, just 19 have come at the rim - a mere 8.3 percent.
He’s taken 25 percent from midrange and over 62 percent from three, where he’s hitting a career-low 34.5 percent. That number is weighed down by his tendency to shoot off the dribble, often without creating much separation.
He rarely gets to the free-throw line, and when he does, it’s not nearly enough to offset the inefficiency.
Still, Miller isn’t giving up on him. Far from it.
“We need more from him in this setting where we’re at, where he’s at in his career,” Miller said. “And I have to help get him there, for sure. I think there’s nothing more of a priority for me than to get him to be really solid, playing with confidence, being at his best down the stretch, because when he’s playing well, that’s when you’re looking at the best version of Texas.”
The message is clear: This is it. Pope has only a handful of games left in his college career.
The clock is ticking, and the stakes are rising. March is on the horizon, and for seniors like Pope, there’s no next year - just now.
“Guys at this time of year, the best of the best guys who are never coming back to college again, they rise because they’re desperate,” Miller said. “This is it - I want to win.
I have two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, and that competitive spirit shines. I have to be able to help Jordan go down that path.”
The challenge is real. The opportunity is there. Now it’s on Pope to meet the moment - or risk letting it pass him by.