Louisville football: Vince Marrow excited to work for Cardinals, Brohm
Vince Marrow, University of Louisville Executive Director of Player Personnel and Recruiting, shares his excitement to work with Louisville football.
- Vince Marrow, inspired by Ozzie Newsome’s career path, transitioned from coaching to become Louisville football’s executive director of player personnel and recruiting.
- Louisville’s adoption of a general manager-type role reflects a growing trend in college football, mirroring NFL organizational structures.
- The implementation of the House v. NCAA settlement, with its revenue-sharing model, further professionalizes college athletics and will influence recruiting strategies.
Ozzie Newsome set the blueprint for Vince Marrow, Louisville football’s new executive director of player personnel and recruiting.
After a successful career as a tight ends coach, Newsome switched to the front office, becoming the NFL’s first Black general manager in 2002. Revered within the football world, he’s now an executive vice president for the Baltimore Ravens.
“If you look at the Ravens, their last 10-12 drafts, they’ve been very effective, and Ozzie’s footprint was all over that,” said Marrow, who met Newsome as a player at Toledo.
Similarly, Marrow opted to end his career as a tight ends coach with Kentucky to take on an administrative role with the Cardinals, starting the position Monday.
“I just think that it got to a point where now was the time I thought where it really fit for everyone,” U of L head coach Jeff Brohm said. “… He’s fit in outstanding to this point, just in a week, and I just think he’s really going to help us as a staff continue to build this roster, to build our team and to help hopefully continue to improve each and every year so that we can try to win at the highest level.”
A couple of years ago, the Ohio native read the tea leaves with college football teams shifting to an NFL-style model. Louisville joined the wave with Marrow’s hiring, showing Brohm’s commitment to a more professional personnel department. Much of what Marrow, known for being one of the country’s top recruiters, will do at U of L was what he had been doing at Kentucky for the last decade. Being an NFL liaison was explicitly stated in his responsibilities.
Louisville is the latest college football program to add a general manager-type role, joining ACC schools Stanford, California and North Carolina. Dropping on-field duties allows the GMs to focus on recruiting to more thoroughly vet potential incoming players, many of whom are coming from the transfer portal.
Louisville football: Jeff Brohm excited for Vince Marrow to join staff
Louisville Cardinals head football coach Jeff Brohm discusses his excitement to work with Vince Marrow and what he brings to the staff.
Brohm has had three successful portal classes, two of which ranked in the top 15, according to 247Sports. This year’s group ranked 31st nationally and fifth in the ACC. Marrow being dedicated to more in-depth recruiting will only increase that success.
“I really believe this is where college football is going,” Marrow said. “You don’t have enough time to really find out what’s the background of these guys. … I really believe the time now that I don’t have to spend in coaching, I can just spend a lot of time evaluating guys and then getting that background stuff.”
Part of that recruiting process will include revenue sharing with the recent House v. NCAA settlement, set to take effect July 1, being the latest move toward the professional model. Schools will have $20.5 million to split among their athletics programs. Football will receive the largest share at most schools. From there, positions will have a designated dollar amount based on the NFL model.
“When you talk about the House settlement, I still think the revenue share and all that would take care of itself,” Marrow said. “I believe you’ve still got to raise outside money, and that’s the situation where it comes out where Jeff being the head coaching is sitting in there and saying, ‘Hey, this is the direction we want to go.’”
Between Brohm’s track record and Marrow’s recruiting, Louisville taking the next step toward becoming a perennial powerhouse program is well within reach.
“You give this guy some players, I really, really believe you’re gonna be surprised,” Marrow said. “I won’t be surprised, but you guys will be. Excited to see where it’s going.”
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.