John Calipari will be under increased scrutiny after Kentucky’s Sunday loss to Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Given the type of uneven season UK had, Calipari was asked about his response to fans and the Big Blue Nation’s level of frustration.

“I have empathy. I understand what this program is about,” Calipari said. “I think, again, that’s what makes it what it is, and that’s why I tell players, this isn’t for everybody because the expectations are so high. The same with coaching. It’s not for everybody. This thing is — there’s a high expectation level, and it is Kentucky. You put that on. The other team is going to play out of their minds, and they’re going to play like they have nothing to lose.”

Because of the exposure at UK, Calipari said he tries to create a buffer for the players so they don’t hear the outside chatter. And he reflected on how that unfolded for him and the players this season.

“That means you’ve got to play that way. So, yeah, I understand it, but, you know, my concern are these kids, and I tried to keep what you are saying off of them,” he said. “Obviously, with a couple maybe I didn’t do as good a job as I thought I did. I wanted them to just play, have fun, enjoy the experience. You know, make the plays you make, take what they give you.”