The dynamism Michael Vick displayed on the gridiron as a player hasn’t been replicated in his early forays into coaching.
On Thursday, the former NFL sensation took the helm for his inaugural game as the head coach at Norfolk State University in Virginia, where his team suffered a 27-7 defeat against Towson on their home turf. The Spartans didn’t find the end zone until the final quarter, amassing a mere 39 rushing yards across 31 attempts. Although Norfolk State managed to avoid turnovers, a series of nine penalties, totaling 78 yards, consistently stalled their offensive drives. Vick’s squad struggled on third-down conversions, succeeding in only three out of 13 attempts.
Vick, celebrated as one of the most electrifying football talents throughout his careers at Virginia Tech and in the NFL, and who was selected as the top pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, entered this role with limited prior coaching experience. He previously accepted the position of offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football back in 2019. However, he stepped down before the season commenced due to other commitments. Ultimately, he served as an advisor within the organization for a single season.
The selection of the one-time No. 1 NFL Draft selection mirrors a recent trend where college programs are opting for candidates who lack prior collegiate coaching experience. North Carolina created waves in the college football landscape the prior week when they appointed Bill Belichick — widely considered the greatest coach in NFL history — as the successor to Mack Brown. Belichick’s career has been exclusively at the NFL level.
In 2023, UAB enlisted Trent Dilfer, whose coaching background was solely at the high school level. Tennessee State introduced Eddie George, a former Heisman Trophy victor, as their head coach in 2021. Perhaps the most talked-about appointment occurred in 2020, when Jackson State recruited current Colorado coach Deion Sanders to spearhead their program.
The Spartans, an FCS participant competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, concluded the previous season with a 4-8 record. Norfolk State is scheduled to play Virginia State the following Saturday, Sept. 6.
