'25 QB Brennen Ward on his relationship with Vince Marrow: 'That's my guy.'

Kentucky already has one class of 2025 quarterback committed in Stone Saunders. Could Mark Stoops’ program add another?

Brennen Ward was one of dozens of recruits in Lexington on Saturday for Kentucky’s annual Junior Day event. It was the third trip to UK’s campus for Ward after he visited for a camp last summer and then again to watch Kentucky beat down Florida 33-14 at Kroger Field in late September.

“I got to meet more of the coaches and just get a more overview of the program. I found that really interesting, just being able to learn more about them,” Ward told KSR. “The stuff outside of football. How they’re really involved in the community, take academics really seriously, I think those are two big things that I learned.”

The 6-foot-3 Gahanna (OH) Lincoln product is considered a three-star prospect and is ranked No. 580 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking.

Thanks @UKFootball @vincemarrow @UKCoachStoops for having me down today! Great conversation and great atmosphere! @gahannafootball pic.twitter.com/wBC4XaSiAJ

— Brennen Ward (@brennenward4) February 4, 2024

Kentucky associate head coach Vince Marrow has been recruiting Ward dating all the way back to May 2022. Marrow extended Ward his first-ever Divison I offer at the time and the two have been in talks ever since. Just a couple of days before Ward took his Junior Day trip, Marrow — along with new offensive line coach Eric Wolford — both made a trip up north to talk with him in person.

“That’s my guy,” Ward said of Marrow. “A lot of the time we talk about football but we can really talk about anything now. He’s always told me that he knows Kentucky is the best fit for me but he’s gonna support me wherever I go. I think just having that connection with him outside of football is really important.”

That relationship is even more important now. With Liam Coen leaving his post as Kentucky’s offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, UK is currently without a play-caller. Marrow discussed that with Ward, who had met Coen a handful of times over the last several months, at Junior Day.

“They said they would take me,” Ward added. “I definitely want to see who the new OC is just to meet him and talk to him, just talk some ball with him. I definitely think (Kentucky is) still an option even with Liam leaving.

“I’m not upset about it.”

Looking ahead, Ward is taking his recruitment day-by-day. Kentucky got on him early, but now the college football world is beginning to take notice too. Ward shared that Missouri, Virginia, Indiana, and Syracuse are the main schools recruiting him at the moment, along with UK. As of right now, he does not have any upcoming visits but plans to schedule some for the spring before considering official visits.