Vince Marrow sends a message to opposing schools on recruiting trail: 'You better be prepared'

Vince Marrow is now recruiting elsewhere in the bluegrass after his decision last month to take a new job at Louisville. The new program, though, won’t change how he goes at the other ones when he’s out recruiting on the trail.

Marrow was obviously asked a lot about recruiting, and the schools he’ll now be facing when doing so, during his introductory press conference with the Cardinals. He said it doesn’t matter much to him as he’s trying to beat all of them out for top recruits. With that, a warning came from him about what Louisville is about to do.

“That’s a good question but, if you know anything about me? I mean, my wife will tell you, my kids will tell you. I don’t care who I’m recruiting against. They can be anybody over there. I want to win and I want to win that battle. So, it can be Kentucky, it can be Michigan, it can be Miami. I don’t care,” said Marrow. “It’s just, you better be ready and prepared to deal with us now here at Louisville. You better be prepared because I really believe we’re going to take this to another level.”

Marrow spent the past dozen seasons with the other power program in the state with Mark Stoops at UK. He earned the reputation as a crucial recruiter for the Wildcats while there being their recruiting coordinator while also having roles as their pro liaison and eventually as their associate head coach, only further emphasizing his importance to the program in Lexington. With his work, Kentucky’s recruiting improved over time with every class from 2013 through 2024 finishing in the Top-40 according to Rivals’ Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. All six classes since 2020 finished in the Top-35, three of them ranked in the Top-25, and their best of the tenure was the No. 17 class in 2022.

Now, having a background recruiting in the state and the surrounding areas, Marrow brings that experience to Louisville. The Cardinals have been more so portal-focused going into year three under Jeff Brohm. They had a No. 23 class at his arrival in 2023 before classes in the 50s and 60s the past two cycles per On3. Still, with two finishes of nine-plus wins so far in his tenure and looking to have another decent team this fall, this program shouldn’t be hard for Brohm or now Marrow to sell to high-school recruits on top of transfer targets.

Marrow doesn’t sound like he cares who he’s recruiting for or recruiting against. He just wants to get to it with his notice now out there that Louisville is coming.

“I’m fired up. I’m just fired up to work with the staff. I’m fired up to get started,” Marrow said. “And, like I said, you better take this team really serious because I look forward to the battles. I look forward.”