Vince Marrow knows Kelly and Joe Craft do a lot for UK

Kelly and Joe Craft with Jim Green and UK officials at the indoor track dedication. (UK Athletics Photo)

Kelly and Joe Craft have been significant financial contributors to the Kentucky football program and associate coach Vince Marrow counts them both as friends. He knows their contributions have been recognized and appreciated but he doesn’t think they get enough credit for all they have done for the university.

“They give a lot to the university and not just sports,” said Marrow. “I talk about them and everybody knows they do very well but I was telling my wife if they were just regular people with regular jobs I would still be good friends with them because they are good people. God put them in position to be willing to give and help others in need.”

Marrow remembers one player on the football roster who was not a starter that Kelly Craft was helping.

“She just liked him and after graduation helped him with an internship,” Marrow said. “He was not a so-called star. He was just somebody she wanted to help.

“That’s just how they are. They don’t get enough credit with the way football and NIL are now. They do more than you could ever thank them for and Kentucky people out to be grateful and I think they are. They give more than is even broadcast and they don’t want me talking about it, either. Joe is one of the nicest men I have ever been around.

“Joe and Kelly are just good people and our student-athletes feel it and benefit from it.”

Marrow said the Crafts made a significant contribution to help build UK’s new indoor track facility. Some wanted to name it for Kelly Craft but she said no and wanted it named for Jim Green, the first African-American at UK and in the SEC to win a SEC and NCAA championships

“That just tells you a lot about who they are. I am thankful to call them friends but even more thankful they support athletics the way they do.”