The ridiculous outcry over Michael Vick’s hiring at Norfolk State still lingers in the mix. The man with an infamous record of 23 months of imprisonment over dogfighting in 2007. To his credit, he has been at the forefront of animal rights ever since. Vick went on to have an NFL career after that incident. However, when he was announced as a head coach, we saw mixed reactions. Some believe that people can change for the better. There were others who didn’t want a man with such a past leading a group of young men. After several months of whirlwind emotion, Michael Vick looks settled. What’s next? His first spring football session as a college football coach.

The former quarterback didn’t deny the initial slump. He said that he is still adjusting more to the NU culture and norms. However, it is palpably in a better spot than before. He acknowledged the constant support and help from his staff and other veterans in the program. “This has been fun, to be acclimated and back involved in football, coaching, having the team that I get to coach for days on end is the most exciting thing that I’ve encountered in a long time since playing the game,” he said during a guest appearance in the MEAC basketball tournament at Scope Arena.

He wasn’t there just to sit and watch the team hustle and win; rather, he was there to lend support, the cheerful voice to the other Green and Gold program (men’s basketball team), as a token of appreciation to the Norfolk culture and tradition.

Once upon a time, it was hard to imagine Michael Vick rocking a Norfolk State letterman jacket and leading chants for the Spartans. Now, he’s taking over the team and relentlessly putting in the work to dodge the 4-8 campaign with a strong rebound. What’s the next billboard vision? “We have the opportunity to grow as a team,” the head coach outlined the limitation. “Unfortunately, everybody can’t make the team. So, it’s going to be competition at the highest level. And, we’ve got to evaluate. But at the same time, we get to finally get a chance to touch on one another, have a chance to hit, and put forth that best effort.”

However, when Vick doesn’t look over his team’s nitty-gritty for a break, he updates himself on the evolving reality of college football from a first-time head coach standpoint. He knows that all the eyes are on him, and even the slightest errors can backfire and re-link the loopholes of his controversial past with a compromised efficiency in coaching.

All this logic and debate would have been a far-fetched reality if Deion Sanders hadn’t pushed him to take the leap. When Vick decided to step into coaching, the first person he approached for the suggestion was Coach Prime. The few assertive words of the Colorado head coach worked like magic for the former NFL Pro Bowler. Can there be a potential Norfolk State-Colorado Buffs meet-up in the future?

Michael Vick draws inspiration from Deion Sanders 

Well, that will be a calculated decision for Coach Vick. Deion Sanders has evolved Jackson State University’s football program from rags to riches. He brought a huge national media spotlight to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Under his leadership, JSU became an unstoppable beast. The ripple effects of his success continue to bear fruit at the program to date.

It’s a clear message to all the HBCU entities that it’s possible to get under national prominence despite not being a mainstream powerhouse. It’s all hard work and discipline that count, that matter.

Michael Vick, seated at Norfolk State, couldn’t get enough of Sanders, recognizing his work in elevating the exposure of HBCU football. Vick commented, “What Deion did at Jackson State was monumental. He brought national attention to HBCUs and elevated the program to new heights.” No doubt he will take notes from the veteran and try to incorporate those in his own coaching endeavor. The aim is to have similar success. However, a potential face-off with the Buffs? Unlikely.

Before heading to a tiff competition, the new head coach wants to ensure they are fully equipped to face the challenge head-on. A great reflection of prudence that the Norfolk State might need!