Marrow’s impact on UK football is still felt as former players reflect on his shocking move to a rival program.
In a move that sent shockwaves through the Bluegrass, longtime Kentucky Wildcats associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow finalized a three-year deal to join the Louisville Cardinals football staff. The unexpected switch to UK’s bitter in-state rival stunned Wildcat fans — and especially those who once played under him.
Former players from nearly every era of the Mark Stoops era — from bowl teams in 2016 to the 10-win seasons in 2018 and 2021 — expressed a mix of shock, support, and deep appreciation for Marrow’s role in building Kentucky football into a consistent SEC contender.
Stephen Johnson, the former Kentucky quarterback who stepped in as starter in 2016 after Drew Barker’s injury and led the Wildcats to a bowl game and their first win over Louisville in the Stoops era, didn’t hide his mixed emotions.
“I know it’s a great job, and I’m happy for him,” Johnson said. “Just sucks that he’s going over to the dirty birds. I know I would rather see him at any other team than them, but still happy for his next career move.”
Bunchy Stallings, a former All-American offensive lineman who helped pave the way for Benny Snell and Kentucky’s 10-3 Citrus Bowl-winning team in 2018, said, “That role fits him. Definitely shocking, but good luck.” Stallings’ comment summed up what many expressed — surprise, but no bitterness.
Josh Allen, now known as Joshua Hines-Allen and a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2019, was even more succinct: “Lost for words really.”
Kavosiey Smoke, a key running back on the 2021 squad, said it was a “crazy feeling going to the rivalries” but added, “I’m happy for Big Dog. He deserves it.”
Many players focused not on the rivalry aspect but on how much Marrow meant to them. DeAndre Square called it “a business,” while Jeff Badet, who transferred from UK after the 2016 season, offered a thoughtful take on how college football is evolving:
“I’m always happy for guys who choose to do things that fit best for them and their families… there’s no one better than Coach Marrow who knows how professional sports is ran.”
Courtney Love, a former linebacker and now UK’s director of player development, called Marrow “like an uncle” and said, “He’s given UK a lot of his life… he’s a pivotal part in the success of many young men on and off the football field, and I’m a living testimony of that.”
Glenn Faulkner added, “Our relationship with our coaches are bigger than football. I wish him nothing but luck and respect.”
Still, for some, the decision to join Louisville — of all schools — stings. JD Harmon said, “As a former Wildcat, I would never. It’s forever L’s down. But I respect that he stayed in Kentucky.”
Nick Haynes echoed that sentiment: “Good luck to Coach Marrow, but I bleed blue man, so it’s always Go Cats!”
TraVaughn Paschal noted the broader implications: “You have to look at this situation very straightforward… Kentucky’s losing a great recruiter. I would say the best in Kentucky history.”
And Matt Ruffolo, who kicked for UK through 2022, pointed to the new era of NIL and the transfer portal: “It’s tough to keep coaches and players at one school for a long time… I wish Coach would have gone anywhere but Louisville.”
Whether they expressed sadness, support, or surprise, one thing is clear — Vince Marrow’s legacy at Kentucky remains deeply rooted in the hearts of those who played for him.