On Thursday Night, the Mike Vick era began as when his Norfolk State Spartans squad took the field against Towson, taking a 27-7 whipping and delivering an early dose of reality to all of the hype surrounding Vick’s arrival. Legendary Eagles WR DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State team didn’t fair much better. “Folks saw Deion Sanders do it and thought it was easy,” said one fan on X.
Michael Vick and desean Jackson teams both took Ls and got outscored by a combined 62-24 . Folks saw Deion sanders do it and thought it was easy https://t.co/S6oVYfpkAd
Michael Vick & DeSean Jackson HBCU Football Teams Get Thumped Opening Game
Michael Vick was an offensive wizard at Virginia Tech and then in the pros with the Atlanta Falcons prior to his dogfighting conviction and prison stint. He continued to master the art of the position, adding a refined passing game to his incomparable mobility under the tutelage of Andy Reid in Philadelphia.
When Michael Vick took the reigns of head football coach at HBCU Norfolk State, returning to his hometown of Virginia where he became a Newport News legend and sports icon same as Allen Iverson, his appointment came with a similar pomp and circumstance to when Deion Sanders took over at Jackson State and transformed the small Mississippi program into a media centerpiece of the world setting records for wins and posting impressive records while dominating the SWAC.
The Tigers were coming off six losing seasons and hadn’t won a conference championship since 2007. With pressures high, Deion went 27-6, earn back-to-back SWAC titles (2021-22), and made the Celebration Bowl (the de facto HBCU national championship) twice — that’s after having to begin his tenure amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deion Sanders Set The Coaching Standards High
Deion’s cultural impact on the NFL and sports in general as a two-sport phenom who is also considered the greatest cornerback to ever do it, and the fact that he brought Louis Vuitton Luggage to the field in the form of Shedeur, Shilo and Travis Hunter set a high standard for former NFL legends taking over HBCU teams.
The luxury of having those three NFL caliber players at the head of the snake was that Sanders could focus on selling the program and back it up with results. He could recruit without overspending for talent. He also had game-breakers who could be competitive and give fans and media its money’s worth when the lights were on.
Coach Prime Brings $113M Bag To Colorado, Inspires Others
In Sanders’ first year in Power Five school Colorado the Buffs’ six home college football games at Folsom Field were estimated to have had an economic impact of $113.2 million “on the broader Boulder region,” from additional spending by local businesses to the money visitors and others paid while in the area during the home games.
The final score wasn't ideal, but @MichaelVick is happy to have his head coaching debut under his belt. Vick says that being on the sideline leading the Spartans felt natural to him and he'll continue to grow as a coach following the 27-7 loss to Towson.@WTKR3@NorfolkStateFBpic.twitter.com/FmO4QQrEQC
NFL great Eddie George was inspired by his friend Coach Prime and served as the head coach at Tennessee State University from 2021 to 2024. He had limited resources and limited success, but showed enough to flip that into a HC gig at Bowling Green State University,
Delaware State fired Lee Hull on Dec. 3, 2024 after going a dismal 2-12 in two seasons with the Hornets and 0-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Jackson has a major reconstruction task and will be going up against Vick, as both schools are in the MEAC conference.
Michael Vick Is Committed To Building Norfolk State Into A Winner
The last five Spartan head coaches have had losing records, including Dawson Odoms, who was fired in November of last season after going 15-30 in four seasons.Vick took over a team that needs a lot more than his name and fame to transform the program and command a respect around college football that Jackson State had for that brief time.
He’s going to need to dig deep in his bag to improve an offense that failed at his staple which is running the ball, rushing 31 times for just 39 yards.
On the bright side, Vick’s NSU aerial attack seems to be very promising with two potential star receivers in
DreSean Kendrick (11 passes for 125 yards) and Kam’Ryn Thomas (7 catches for 105 yards).It doesn’t get much easier for Vick against Virginia State, but it will be a more winnable game than the following game against Rutgers.
The final score wasn't ideal, but @MichaelVick is happy to have his head coaching debut under his belt. Vick says that being on the sideline leading the Spartans felt natural to him and he'll continue to grow as a coach following the 27-7 loss to Towson.@WTKR3@NorfolkStateFBpic.twitter.com/FmO4QQrEQC
“ I got a feel for the flow what to look for… I can go back and watch film and correct whatever we need to get better at,” Vick said. “It felt natural…I got to get back in the rule book and understand what’s happening in real time. I feel good about where we are.”
Vick navigates through this first season, probably well under-resourced, but committed to building this program, the country will see that Deion Sanders’ feats when he was carrying HBCU football to weekly sports on ESPN. are beyond what most people even see capable.
