Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick finally had his breakthrough moment Saturday night, guiding the Spartans to a 34–31 overtime win against Virginia State.
“It took five quarters to win it but the guys that we have in that locker room, Otto included and being at the forefront as a leader as a guy that this team looks up to, I’ll take these guys anywhere in terms of a football battle,” Vick said in his postgame press conference.
The Spartans committed 16 penalties, yet still found a way to close it out. “We shot ourselves in the foot a lot of times. You always wish to win the first one, but man, better late than never. I’m just glad that we got out of the stadium with a win,” Vick said.
Michael Vick gets his first win as Head Coach of Norfolk State 👏👏@NorfolkStateFB | @MichaelVick pic.twitter.com/Y3NNkjNyO9
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2025
Quarterback Otto Kuhns provided the spark late. “I was sitting back waiting for my opportunity to make a difference,” he said. “They called my name in the fourth quarter. The game’s not over. We got a whole quarter to play.”
Vick described the trust he placed in his quarterback. “I came to him and looked him in his eyes and said, ‘I don’t want to put you in an unfortunate, vulnerable position like last week. What do you want to do?’ He looked me in my eyes and said, ‘Whatever you want to do, Coach, I’m down.’ That goes to show the type of resolve that he has.”
The atmosphere inside the stadium carried the team across the finish line. “I thought the fan support today was amazing. We needed a spark. We needed some energy. And this guy right here, he gave us the energy we needed. Came in, was poised, efficient, confident, and you can just see it spill over to his teammates,” Vick said.
After the game, Vick celebrated with a rare smile. “They actually put the flag in my hand. They find ways to make me open up and be less serious all the time. It’s always good when they make me smile.”
For Vick, this was more than just a win. “Winning is not easy. We’re learning how to win. If we face adversity down the road, we’ll know how to accept it. Once we cut back on the little things and continue to trust one another, we’re going to be a dangerous football team.”
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