After more than a decade at the University of Kentucky, associate head coach Vince Marrow is heading 79 miles west to join rival Louisville. As first reported by ESPN, Marrow has accepted a three-year deal to become the general manager of the Cardinals football program.

Marrow joined Kentucky in 2013 as part of Mark Stoops’ original staff and has since held multiple key roles, including tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and most recently associate head coach.

Under his leadership as recruiting coordinator, all 12 of Kentucky’s signing classes ranked inside the top 40 nationally, peaking in 2022 when the Wildcats secured the No. 14 class, according to 247Sports.

Nineteen of the 25 highest-rated recruits in program history committed during his tenure, and he helped bring in 37 four-star prospects and four future first-round NFL Draft picks.

Much of his success arose from a deep recruiting network in his home state of Ohio, which became an essential part of Kentucky’s recruiting strategy under Stoops.

Marrow was slated to make $1.3 million this season, placing him among the highest-paid position coaches in college football.

However, by taking a noncoaching executive position at Louisville, he reportedly bypassed Kentucky’s contractual buyout clause, which only applies to on-field coaching departures.

His exit marks the end of an era in Lexington and the start of a new chapter in one of college football’s most heated rivalries.