After a disaster season for the Kentucky Wildcats, where they went 4-8 with a 1-7 record in Conference Play, things only got harder for Mark Stoops in the offseason. Vince Marrow has long been Mark Stoops' ace on the recruiting trail, helping Kentucky build some of its top rosters as Kentucky went out of state to land key pieces. When Vince Marrow announced that he'd be leaving for In-State rival Louisville, it truly came as a shock while dealing a massive blow to Kentucky.
On Friday, Mark Stoops appeared on Kentucky Sports Radio where he discussed the departure of his long term assistant.
"Definitely surprised, but as I mentioned, you know, that’s water under the bridge. Vince (Marrow) and I are good. You know, there’s never an easy way to tell somebody you’ve been with for 12 years that you’re going to leave. That’s just not easy to do. And so there’s no hard feelings there."Mark Stoops
While Mark Stoops lost one of his top assistants, he still acknowledged that Vince Marrow's move to an off-field role may be better for him. This isn't a dig at Marrow by Stoops, but, more so, an acknowledgment of how hard it is to be both a position coach and one of the key recruiters on staff.
"He’s in a role off the field that, maybe, suits him better right now as he moves forward for the next 12 years. Who knows? But I thank him for what he’s done, there’s no hard feelings, and we moved right on. That’s just it."Mark Stoops
Given that Vince Marrow took the job at Louisville, this move is far more interesting as Stoops and Marrow will face off against each other this fall. During his interview, Stoops made it clear that his team is going to win the matchup, even declaring they'll be "going for the throat".
Vince Marrow heard the comments and decided to have some fun himself tweeting out that he also can't wait until they face each other.
I will be waiting for November 29 lol. Can’t wait should be fun. https://t.co/Fmb0bxp8pi
— CoachMarrow (@vincemarrow) August 2, 2025
While Mark Stoops can't be too happy that his top assistant left for an In-State rival, it's great to see that the two are still able to joke with each other and that the bond is still there after 12 years together. In College Football, coaching moves can create a ton of bad blood yet, it's clear that the two have no issues at least publicly.
While the two are no longer looking to build Kentucky into a contender in the SEC, they'll remain kinked as long as they're both still in their respective roles. In an era where everyone burns bridges, to see Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow still being friendly says it all about the relationship the two built.