“WHO?” — Messiah Tilson’s quote raises serious questions about Vince Marrow’s vanishing recruiting power
The Big Dawg may be barking like he used to, but that bite seems to have diminished.
Vince Marrow’s once-feared recruiting prowess — long considered the backbone of Mark Stoops’ rise at Kentucky — may officially be in free fall. The latest grenade was casually tossed by 3-star safety Messiah Tilson, who recently was speaking on his recruiting, in an interview with KSR, delivered the kind of quote that should make UK fans and insiders sit up straight.
When asked about Marrow’s role in his recruitment, Tilson flatly responded:
"I have no clue who that is, so I don’t think that has anything to do with me."
Read that again.
For a coach who once wore the title of recruiting coordinator like a badge of honor, that is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Not knowing who Vince Marrow is? That would’ve been unthinkable just a few years ago, when Marrow helped build Kentucky's national recruiting profile, swiping key players out of Ohio and getting Kentucky into living rooms it previously only dreamed of.
But times — and power structures — have clearly changed in Lexington.
Multiple factors seem to be contributing to Marrow's diminishing presence. With Eddie Gran’s political capital on the rise behind the scenes, and offensive line guru Eric Wolford making his own push inside the program's power corridors, Marrow’s voice may not carry the same weight in Stoops' increasingly closed circle.
And let’s be honest here — last season didn’t exactly give anyone job security. Kentucky’s 2024 campaign was nothing short of a disaster:
- Home wins came only against Murray State, Southern Miss, and Ohio.
- The Wildcats escaped Oxford with a miracle fourth down conversion, their lone SEC victory in a year that tested fan patience at every turn.
All of it created the perfect storm for Marrow’s quiet exit — or exile.
For years, "The Big Dawg" was the face of Kentucky’s recruiting machine. But as Messiah Tilson unintentionally reminded everyone:
It’s not 2018 anymore and maybe Louisville is getting a different Marrow.