October 27, Vince Marrow, Assistant Football Coach, University of Kentucky
The Rotary Club of Lexington held its weekly meeting Thursday, October 27, at The Mane on Main and on Zoom. The program featured Vince Marrow, Assistant Football Coach, University of Kentucky
If you would like the Zoom link contact the Rotary office, [email protected].
Vince Marrow joined UK head coach Mark Stoops’ staff in 2012 as the tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and the NFL liaison. In February of 2019, he was elevated to associate head coach. Of all the hats (helmets?) he wears in his support of the UK football program’s recent resurgence, perhaps none is more important than the one labeled “head recruiter.”
When bringing Marrow to Kentucky, Stoops spoke prophetically: “His diverse experiences as a coach and NFL player will be invaluable to our players and our program. He also is a great recruiter, especially with his outstanding connections in Ohio.”
Kentucky’s eight recruiting classes under the current staff are UK’s seven highest-rated groups in the history of the Rivals.com evaluation. Marrow, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, has played a key role in those efforts, spearheaded by numerous signees who hail from the Buckeye State.
Stoops and Marrow, both from Youngstown, Ohio, knew each other as children before playing football together at Cardinal Mooney High School. Marrow went on to have a successful playing career collegiately and professionally as a tight end before entering the coaching ranks.
Marrow came to UK from Nebraska, where he coached the Cornhuskers’ tight ends for two years. In 2012, Marrow helped guide NU’s tight ends to a combined 48 catches for 651 yards and five touchdowns, while their blocking ability helped NU rank eighth in the country in rushing offense. Two of Marrow’s tight ends, Ben Cotton and Kyler Reed, who ranked fourth and sixth on the team respectively in receiving, earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors. The Huskers went 10-4 and played in the Capital One Bowl.
Prior to his stint at Nebraska, Marrow spent six years in the coaching ranks, mostly in professional football with NFL Europe and the United Football League. The year before joining the staff at NU, Marrow was tight ends coach with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL.
Marrow had a professional playing career as a member of NFL rosters on five teams: Buffalo, Carolina, New York Jets, Chicago and San Francisco. After his NFL days ended, Marrow played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe in 1998, earning all-league honors with 32 receptions for 345 yards. He also played for the Orlando Rage in the XFL in 2001.
Marrow began his collegiate playing career at Youngstown State before transferring to Toledo. Marrow played two seasons at Toledo, earning second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors in 1991 before being drafted by the Bills in 1992.
Marrow graduated from Toledo with a degree in criminal justice. He has four children, Mike, Phylica, Victoria and Aryanna.
