NORFOLK — Michael Vick’s first night as Norfolk State’s head coach was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it ended with Towson walking out of Dick Price Stadium with a 27-7 win, spoiling a historic night for both program and coach.
Vick didn’t sulk after the loss. Instead, he spoke with the calm of someone who’s been through football’s ups and downs, determined to make sure his team responds the right way.
The Spartans play rival Virginia State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.
“Last week was sort of a disappointment. We expected to win that game,” Vick said. “But we feel like it’s time to turn the page.
“Do we expect to win every game this year? Yes. Realistically, was it going to happen? Probably not. The loss happened early, and now we’re going to pick up the pieces. That’s what this journey is all about.”
Vick pointed to a handful of critical mistakes that flipped momentum. Missed interceptions, drive-extending penalties and a pair of big plays for Towson kept the Spartans on their heels. He said those issues he says have been lingering since the spring.
But after reviewing film, he said the problems were fixable, and they’ll work on lessening them week by week.
“It’s just about being disciplined,” Vick said. “We can’t give up the big plays. We can’t spot points, and that’s what we did.”
The Spartans showed signs of life in the second half, when the offense finally found rhythm and the defense tightened, but the damage was already done. Vick credited his defense for keeping the game within reach and said the biggest growth must come in how the team starts games.
For Vick personally, the transition from player to coach has been an adjustment, and he admitted his first loss in this role hit differently. As a player, he could respond to adversity with the ball in his hands. As a coach, his job is to steady others. He admitted that his competitive nature makes that transition difficult.
“I don’t take losses well, even though I understand it’s a part of the game,” he said. “For the sake of my boys, I gotta make sure I keep my sanity and keep clarity in my mind for them.”
That balance — between competitiveness and composure — is something Vick said he’ll continue to learn as the season unfolds. He described the experience as a “wake-up call” for both him and his team, but one that doesn’t shake his belief in the direction of the program.
“We believe in one another, we believe in our scheme, we believe in us,” he said. “That won’t change. For me as a coach, I’m just looking forward to every step of the way and the process and to keep teaching.”
Norfolk State now turns its attention to Virginia State, a familiar rival. The Trojans opened their season with a blowout 35-7 win over Barton College, and Vick said the Spartans can’t afford to underestimate them. He knows the bragging rights attached to this matchup add another layer of urgency.
“A rivalry is a rivalry. It is what it is,” Vick said. “It’s all about what you do within that 60 minutes and dominate.”
For now, though, the focus remains simple: eliminating mistakes and turning effort into execution. Vick said the staff spent the weekend reinforcing fundamentals and demanding more consistency in practice.
“It’s about short-term memory,” he said. “There’s nothing that game can do for us now other than us learning from it. The biggest part of coming out of that game is we got a lot we can teach off of. Now we pick up the pieces and move forward.”
