Vince Marrow with DJ Waller and his father.
If Kentucky football gets beat in recruiting, UK recruiting director Vince Marrow is willing to admit he got beat.
“I do not use excuses,” Marrow said.
He felt like some schools — Michigan — were implying that when UK lands a major recruit/transfer like it did recently when freshman defensive back DJ Waller of Youngstown, Ohio, transferred from national champion Michigan to UK it was all about NIL money. His final two schools coming out of high school were Michigan and Kentucky when he went to Michigan and was part of the 2023 national championship season.
“Recruiting will always be about relationships,” Marrow said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports. “DJ is from my hometown, (Mark) Stoops’ hometown. My brother works at his high school.. His high school coach is one of my best friends. It came down to us and Michigan and he went to Michigan. Now he realizes he wants to go play for Kentucky.
“Some stuff Michigan ran (on defense), we ran. They got some of that from us. But it was more about relationships and him being from northeast Ohio and just feeling comfortable coming here.”
Marrow noted that a “lot of schools” have NIL funding and “last time I checked Michigan won the national championship” but Waller still transferred.
“You still have to recruit. Some of these schools think we did this or that and why would a kid go to Kentucky. Those days have changed. In the 80’s or 90’s a kid may go to Michigan, Notre Dame or Ohio State because they are on TV a lot,” Marrow said.
“Today kids are going everywhere. A kid at Toledo just got drafted 10th. We have been battling these (top college) guys for eight to 10 years. Before (coach Jim) Harbaugh got there (Michigan) we were really getting kids from there. I was pissed about some saying kids come here just for NIL. You are not even supposed to get NIL until you get on campus.
“Kids are looking at relationships. Now we get to know the parents more. Now the parents can come to school and you can talk to them. That’s why it is all about relationships.
“I ain’t never going to take a back seat to no guy. I hear stuff and it is coaches telling media people the reason they got beat for a kid is NIL and the real reason you got beat is you got out recruited.”
5 Responses
Why do we find "telling it the way it is "so humorous? Guess it makes you feel like things are right when you are and or hear one being a straight shooter!
Vince is one of the top 10 assistant coaches at recruiting. He checks in at number 7. He didn’t get there from nil money. He got there from being able to relate to the kids. Without him their is no Mark Stoops….
Vince knows how to get it done
Hey, the Big Dog goes into the UK HOF hands down ( and possibly L’s down ) !
247 Sports has Kentucky ranked 12th out of the 16 SEC teams. We have one less Popcorn State game being replaced by a tougher SEC opponent. A 6 win season is doable but that will not get us in a better bowl game. As the SEC gets bigger and better, will we be able to compete with the big boys?