Vince Marrow declares Jeff Brohm a Top 10 coach in college football

Vince Marrow’s jump from Kentucky to Louisville is one that many fans are still getting used to on both sides of the rivalry. Long considered one of the best recruiters in the region, the former longtime UK assistant said he wouldn’t have jumped ship to coach with anyone else.

“To Jeff, Coach Brohm, I have the utmost respect for him,” Marrow said during his introductory press conference. “I think he’s one of the top 10 coaches in college football. I don’t think he gets enough credit. He’s one of the best offensive minds in college football.

“When I was NFL liaison, a lot of the gyms and player personnel guys, we would talk about Jeff — just his mind and how he goes about calling offenses. So I’m very excited to be here. … I can’t wait to just keep getting to work with the staff, they really embrace me. I knew a lot of these guys when I was on the road recruiting, and Jeff has a really high-character staff, which makes me excited to be here.”

Marrow’s move comes at a time where the Wildcats appear to be on the decline, and Louisville is surging as a contender in the ACC. Last season’s annual rivalry matchup for the Governor’s Cup was a nod to this, seeing Louisville snap Kentucky’s five-game winning streak over them. The Cardinals did so in blowout fashion, 41-14 at Kroger Field in Lexington.

Kentucky finished 2024 with a 4-8 record, missing out on the postseason for the first time in eight years. Meanwhile, Louisville is 19-8 under Jeff Brohm in two seasons and all signs point toward the Cardinals competing among the best teams in the country in 2025.

From a recruiter’s mindset, Marrow believes the Louisville program will sells itself under Brohm’s leadership.

“Sometimes I haven’t had much to sell (at Kentucky) in certain years, and still brought in four-stars, but this is easy,” Marrow said. “This is going to be real easy to sell, and I think I can do it with the best.

“I’m selling a top-10 coach, who’s the best offensive mind, one of the best offensive minds in college football. I deal with the NFL a lot. There’s a lot of GMs that really admire Jeff. (It’s) selling that and selling the city.”

Louisville will kick off its 2025 season against Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 30. Marrow will face off against his friend and former boss Mark Stoops in the season finale when the Cardinals host the Wildcats on Nov. 29.