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Fan wears t-shirt comparing Vince Marrow to John Cena at College World Series after move to Louisville

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs06/15/25grant_grubbs_
Kentucky assistant coach Vince Marrow at the Cat Walk, via Dr. Michael Huang, KSR
Kentucky assistant coach Vince Marrow at the Cat Walk, via Dr. Michael Huang, KSR

College football fans are everywhere, including at the Men’s College World Series. During Arizona and Louisville‘s showdown Sunday, eagle-eyed viewers spotted a fan behind home plate wearing a t-shirt that read, “Vince Marrow: Biggest Heel Turn Since John Cena.”

The shirt is referring to Vince Marrow’s decision this past week to leave Kentucky and accept an offer to become Louisville’s executive director of player personnel and recruiting. It was a shocking twist reminiscent of John Cena’s heel turn during the main event of WrestleMania 41 earlier this year.

Marrow had previously been Kentucky’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator since 2013. Moreover, he’d never shied away from the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry, always throwing the L’s down against the Cardinals when given the chance. Now, Marrow will turn that L upside down as he dons Louisville Red.

Marrow had been at Kentucky since head coach Mark Stoops took over the program in 2013. After his departure, Marrow reflected on his decision to move on from Stoops and the team they’d built.

“Me and him are alike,” Marrow said of Stoops. We very blue collar guys and we kind of like the man who don’t talk to his wife and you just assume, and then the next thing you know, ‘Hey, it’s a problem.’ But if we would have talked, s***, the first 20 days, he would’ve understood why I was feeling this way. And why I wanted to go work with Jeff (Brohm).

“When I broke it down to him, I was just like, ‘Hey, this is changing, this is a great opportunity. I’m going to work for another friend, and I really believe this is the new college football.’ I just think Jeff really got ahead of this.”

Marrow isn’t the first beloved Wildcat to work at Louisville. Notoriously, Rick Pitino took over at Louisville after winning a national championship at Kentucky and leaving for the NBA several years prior. More recently, former John Calipari assistant Kenny Payne accepted an offer to be Louisville’s men’s basketball coach after a short stint coaching in the NBA.

The move worked out far better for Pitino than Payne, who was only with the program for two years before being fired. Vince Marrow is excited to make his mark at Louisville.

“I am incredibly excited to work with Jeff Brohm and the University of Louisville football program!” Marrow said in a statement. “Jeff and I have known each other for over 25 years. I have always admired and respected him and the Brohm family. I also love the state of Kentucky; this has become my home. The opportunity to take on this new and exciting role, in the state where I have so many incredible relationships, was something that I couldn’t pass up.”