Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick didn’t deny the noise, he met it head-on.
After a 1-6 start and swirling rumors of defensive staff changes, the former NFL star turned college coach used this week’s MEAC media call to deliver a blunt message: accountability starts with him.
“By keeping it real,” Vick said. “My job is to be super-observant, be critical of myself first, and make tough decisions. That’s what I signed up for.”
The speculation surrounding Vick’s program centers on possible adjustments to his defensive staff. Though he didn’t confirm specific departures, his tone suggested that evaluations are ongoing.
“If you’re hearing rumors, you’re hearing rumors for a reason, right?” he said. “We don’t sugarcoat it. I tell my team and I tell my coaches…we don’t play football, we really play football. So when it comes down to it, I’m going to look at everything that’s happening.”
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Vick called this upcoming stretch his most crucial as a first-year head coach, a time to re-evaluate structure, execution, and personnel before conference play begins.
“We got a game plan that we feel collectively… is going to give us a better opportunity moving forward,” he said. “While we are ironing down the details, I feel like for me as a coach, this is probably my most important week in terms of how things are handled.”
He said the bye week comes not as a break but as a test of focus and leadership. “It’s my job to keep everybody in a good mental-health state, from an emotional standpoint…because it’s not easy when you’re losing tough ones, losing close ones, and then it’s a blowout here and a disappointment there,” Vick said. “Now I’ve got to be what I signed up for, a head coach, a leader.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Vick’s message carried optimism. “Not losing sight of that and still feeling confident and knowing what we can bring to the table,” he said. “The kids, they [are] my guys, they inspire me because I know how bad they want it. So when I look in their eyes, I see a reflection of me, and then here we go. Let’s go get it.”
The Spartans return from their open date on October 25, hosting South Carolina State for homecoming at Dick Price Stadium.