Kentucky coach takes apparent cheap shot at Jim Harbaugh

On Sunday, University of Kentucky assistant coach Vince Marrow took an apparent shot at Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh via his Twitter account. Marrow stated, “I don’t get it parents still letting kids go to a certain school when it’s very clear he wants back in the NFL. Glad we don’t have that problem SMDH. Go Big Blue.”

I don’t get it parents still letting kids go to a certain school when it’s very clear he wants back in the NFL. Glad we don’t have that problem SMDH. Go Big Blue.

— CoachMarrowUK (@vincemarrow) January 29, 2023

Who is Vince Marrow?

If you throw stones, you should likely not be sitting in a glass house, so we did our research on Kentucky assistant coach Vince Marrow to see where he is coming from. After all, if you’re going to take shots at another program’s head coach — one with an esteemed and respected career — you should have a solid resume to back it up, right? Well, from what we found, perhaps not.

Following a four-year, one-letter college career with Youngstown State and Toledo — a career highlighted by 2nd-team All-MAC honors on the Rockets’ 5-5-1 team in 1991 — Marrow saw a short stint with the Buffalo Bills. After his playing days, Marrow began his coaching career.

Marrow has been coaching since 2010 and is still waiting to see a head coaching job. Marrow spent two years on Bo Pelini’s staff at Nebraska before taking an assistant coaching role with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2012. Since being hired as Kentucky’s tight ends coach, Marrow has produced 0 (zero) NFL draft picks.

Additionally, Marrow-coached Kentucky teams have a 66-59 overall record (.528 win percentage), four losing seasons, two ranked finishes, and one bowl win. In Marrow’s most recent season, Kentucky’s offense finished 116th (of 131 teams) in total offense. The Wildcats somehow lost to Iowa — a team that Jim Harbaugh beat — 21-0 in the Music City Bowl.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football have bigger fish to fry

After Michigan’s 41-17 victory over No. 7 Penn State in October last year, Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin complained about the Wolverines’ stadium tunnel the following week. Jim Harbaugh’s response? “We have bigger fish to fry [than what coach Franklin thinks].”

The same sentiment reigns true right now; Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines are coming off of back-to-back Big Ten titles and Playoff appearances; meanwhile, Kentucky’s best season over the past ten years was a 9-3 season with a Citrus Bowl win.

In the coming season, Michigan football will be competing for a 3rd-straight conference title and perhaps a National title; meanwhile, the Wildcats will be looking to get things back on track after finishing unranked in a season they started in the top-20.

Marrow’s shot at Harbaugh was uncalled for and out of line, as the two are not even in the same stratosphere as coaches or football players. I’d say the two can settle it on the field, but that would require Kentucky to finish with more than nine wins in the regular season for the third time in program history, which I do not foresee happening with zero draft-ready tight ends.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com or DM him on Twitter, @CJsWrld_.