Marrow to stay at UK, sources say
University of Kentucky tight ends coach and ace recruiter Vince Marrow has turned down an offer to join Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan to remain with the Wildcats, two sources told The Courier-Journal late Sunday night.
Marrow, who is also the Cats' recruiting coordinator and has led their unprecedented success in recruiting in Ohio, has been mulling an offer from Harbaugh over the weekend, but he will stick with UK with a new contract, a source said.
Marrow's decision is significant news as UK seeks to continue those recruiting gains in Ohio but also because coach Mark Stoops was able to hold on to a valued assistant who was sought by a national championship-winning program and highly esteemed coach.
A source on Saturday had said UK administrators were expected to meet with Marrow over the weekend to discuss his future and presumably make a counteroffer. He evidently came away from that meeting happy.
"People have to see that (athletic director) Mitch (Barnhart) has made a big commitment to making this work," one source told The Courier-Journal.
A UK spokesman could not confirm Marrow's decision to stay with the school late Sunday night.
Marrow, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, who has family in Toledo, is thought to have strongly considered the offer from Harbaugh, and because his home turf is also a key recruiting area for the Wolverines, it stands to reason Marrow could have lured many top-notch players to that historic program.
But Marrow very much likes working at UK and in the Southeastern Conference and has great respect for Stoops' vision for the program.
The players Marrow has recruited have been a basis for much of the excitement UK fans have about the future.
In the 2013, '14 and '15 classes, he has landed 21 commitments from top Ohio high school recruits – seven in the Class of 2015 – plus three University of Nebraska transfers (Braylon Heard, Greg Hart and Courtney Love) who are Ohio natives. Included in that haul are 10 four-star recruits, as rated by Rivals.com.
In the 10 years before Marrow - and fellow Youngstown native Stoops - arrived, UK signed just five top-40 Ohio recruits. In three classes with Marrow, the Cats have landed landed 20 (including transfers). They've gotten 14 top-25 Ohio prospects and six top-10 players from the state. There were only four scholarship players from Ohio on Kentucky's roster when Marrow was hired.
"If Vince does decide to stay at Kentucky, that's a statement by itself that Kentucky program is going in the right direction because that's big-time." said Love's father, Cory, who has known Marrow since they were young boys in Youngstown. "That's a huge statement, because I can almost guarantee a lot of success and some high bowl games at Michigan. I know he believes in and I believe in what he's been telling Courtney, and I think the proof will be in the pudding if he decides to stay at Kentucky."
Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ. Kyle Tucker @KyleTucker_CJ contributed to this story.
Kentucky football commitments from Ohio while Vince Marrow has been on staff (with Rivals.com Ohio ranking for each)
2016 (1)
3-star Roland Walder (No. 18)
2015 (7)
4-star TE C.J. Conrad (No. 10)
4-star ATH Andrew Dowdell (No. 11)
4-star DB David Dowdell (No. 12)
3-star DB Kei Beckham (No. 20)
3-star OL George Asafo-Adjei (No. 21)
3-star LB Jordan Jones (No. 26)
3-star DT DaVon Hamilton (No. 41)
* 3-star LB Courtney Love (Nebraska transfer, No. 30 in 2013)
* 3-star TE Greg Hart (Nebraska transfer, No. 41 in 2013)
2014 (11)
4-star RB Mikel Horton (No. 4)
4-star OL Nick Richardson (No. 8)
4-star DB Darius West (No. 9)
4-star DB Mike Edwards (No. 13)
4-star WR Dorian Baker (No. 16)
3-star OL Josh Krok (No. 24)
3-star WR Thaddeus Snodgrass (No. 25)
3-star OL Jarrett LaRubbio (No. 28)
3-star LB Dorian Hendrix (No. 36)
3-star DE Tymere Dubose (No. 41)
3-star TE Darryl Long (No. 50)
2013 (3)
4-star DB Marcus McWilson (No. 10)
3-star OL Kyle Meadows (No. 31)
3-star DB Jaleel Hytchye (No. 36)
* 4-star RB Braylon Heard (Nebraska transfer, No. 4 in 2010)