Michael Vick made his head coaching debut last week for Norfolk State, drawing national attention in a primetime game under the lights of Dick Price Stadium. While the Spartans fell short in their opener against Towson, the former NFL quarterback is already focused on growth and preparation ahead of Saturday’s rivalry showdown with Virginia State.
In a media call Monday, Vick acknowledged both the excitement and the disappointment from his first game as a head coach.
“We felt like we were in the game at a certain point,” Vick said. “But we certainly let it slip away. Now, we’ve got to correct the mistakes, move forward, and get this thing going again.”
One bright spot in the 27-7 loss was the return of veteran quarterback Otto Kuhns, who threw for 222 yards and connected well with wideouts DreSean Kendrick and Kam’Ryn Thomas, who combined for 226 receiving yards. However, despite Kuhns’ performance, Vick confirmed that sophomore Israel Carter will return as the starting quarterback this week.
“We’re going back to Israel,” Vick said. “We want to give him a chance to find his rhythm and go out and have some fun. Otto could still get a couple of snaps, but Israel will finish the game.”
Carter started the opener but was replaced by Kuhns after three drives. Vick said the rotation was part of the initial game plan and not a performance-based decision.
Norfolk State’s defense showed promise in the second half, adjusting to Towson’s balanced attack. However, the Spartans struggled to stop explosive plays and were flagged for 10 penalties—issues Vick emphasized must be addressed before facing a Virginia State team that’s coming off a dominant win over Barton College.
“We can’t take two steps forward and five steps back,” Vick said. “We have to limit mistakes, win the turnover battle, and be more disciplined.”
On the offensive side, the Spartans rushed for just 39 yards—a statistic Vick called “the most shocking” of the game. Running back Kevon King struggled to find space, but Vick said the blame doesn’t fall solely on his shoulders.
“Kevon can’t run the ball without an offensive line getting some push,” he said. “We’ve got to be better in the trenches, period.”
Virginia State held Barton to minus-3 yards rushing last week, setting up a key test for Norfolk State’s offensive line in Saturday’s Labor Day Classic.
For Vick, the matchup is more than just a game—it’s personal. Growing up in Virginia, he attended the rivalry game numerous times as a fan. Now, he’ll lead the Spartans from the sidelines in his first taste of the historic HBCU showdown as a head coach.
“Being part of this rivalry means a lot,” he said. “We want to make it a moment we never forget.”
Norfolk State (0–1) will host Virginia State (1–0) on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. ET at William “Dick” Price Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
This story was drafted using an AI tool based on the transcript of the MEAC weekly coaches’ conference and was then reviewed and edited by a journalist before publishing.
